I’m not sure what to say about this one. It was cute. Definitely. But beyond that, I don’t know. It was just a quick, simple, cutesy ro|| 3.0 stars ||
I’m not sure what to say about this one. It was cute. Definitely. But beyond that, I don’t know. It was just a quick, simple, cutesy romance story. That’s it.
The story follows Mara and her roommate, Liam. They pretty much have a love at first sight thing going on, but then Liam realises who she is (namely, the roommate he did not want), and thus begins the start of their animosity and little house war. They try to make living together as uncomfortable as possible for the other person in the hopes of the other moving out. However, those feelings they had when they first saw each other eventually creep back in and the more they get to know each other, the deeper they fall in love. They eventually end up in a very cute friendship where both of them are too awkward and too shy to admit they want more.
As I said before, this was a cute romance. Both characters are pretty endearing and their dynamic is sweetly playful. However, something about these two felt a little simple… Which is odd considering they are supposed to be enemies at first, which usually means a fair bit of drama and intensity, but not here. It was easy, almost a little bland. Also, the development near the end definitely did feel like it was lacking quite a bit, and I think all of that is why I never felt like the book went beyond anything more than “cute”.
The 'STEMinist' Novellas: 1. Under One Roof - 3.0 stars 2. Stuck with You - 2.0 stars
Merged review:
|| 3.0 stars ||
I’m not sure what to say about this one. It was cute. Definitely. But beyond that, I don’t know. It was just a quick, simple, cutesy romance story. That’s it.
The story follows Mara and her roommate, Liam. They pretty much have a love at first sight thing going on, but then Liam realises who she is (namely, the roommate he did not want), and thus begins the start of their animosity and little house war. They try to make living together as uncomfortable as possible for the other person in the hopes of the other moving out. However, those feelings they had when they first saw each other eventually creep back in and the more they get to know each other, the deeper they fall in love. They eventually end up in a very cute friendship where both of them are too awkward and too shy to admit they want more.
As I said before, this was a cute romance. Both characters are pretty endearing and their dynamic is sweetly playful. However, something about these two felt a little simple… Which is odd considering they are supposed to be enemies at first, which usually means a fair bit of drama and intensity, but not here. It was easy, almost a little bland. Also, the development near the end definitely did feel like it was lacking quite a bit, and I think all of that is why I never felt like the book went beyond anything more than “cute”.
The 'STEMinist' Novellas: 1. Under One Roof - 3.0 stars 2. Stuck with You - 2.0 stars...more
I was hired by the publisher to work as a corrector/proofreader for this book, so I don’t think I should post any rating or review online, as it simplI was hired by the publisher to work as a corrector/proofreader for this book, so I don’t think I should post any rating or review online, as it simply wouldn’t be objective. I want to remain entirely honest and neutral on this platform, so that’s why I’m choosing to put this disclaimer here instead of anything else. ...more
This was a true rivals-to-lovers slow-burn with all the feels and angst!
“There hasn’t been a second where I wasn’t wondering what y
|| 4.0 stars ||
This was a true rivals-to-lovers slow-burn with all the feels and angst!
“There hasn’t been a second where I wasn’t wondering what you were thinking and if it was of me.”
The story is about two upcoming authors who are both opposites in the type of genre they like to write and spend most of their college workshops hurling insults at each other. They’re genuinely mean and rude towards each other, and do not hold back. I honestly struggled with this a little bit at first, because aside from her inner monologue acknowledging how handsome he was from the start, I truly could not feel any romantic tension or feelings between them at all. I was afraid their romance was going to fall flat for me. However, I shouldn’t have feared, because once I saw their relationship slowly develop and blossom, I actually appreciated that they started out with so much animosity. They genuinely acted like rivals at first and it was a true slow-burn.
“I know you prefer what’s in your books, and I pretend I don’t want to be like them, but I do. I want to be the person you picture when you’re reading and dreaming because you’re who I picture every single time.”
This was not the only reason I appreciated this romance so much though. It was so much more than just that! It was the way I genuinely got so invested in their relationship that I literally felt my heart pang or beat rapidly in my chest whenever something happened between them, good or bad. You know that feeling, when you are so into it that you genuinely have physical reactions to the story? It could be your gut dropping or cramping, or maybe your chest feeling tight, or perhaps even full-blown butterflies in your stomach? Those were the feelings I got whenever one of them said something that really hurt the other person, or if one of them felt deep pain or sadness, but also when they were being insanely gentle and vulnerable and sweet to each other. Their dynamic was so organic and their interactions felt so real to me that I couldn’t help but feel intense emotional (and physical) reactions to all of it!
“I’m not yours anymore.” “Fine. If you’re not mine, then know that I’m yours.”
And I don’t mean all this in a way like everything was constantly angsty or emotional between them, because they actually had a lot of really cute and sweet moments as well. I’m honestly pretty hard to please when it comes to domestic scenes, because I tend to find them a little uneventful or even boring quite easily, so you must really believe me when I tell you these scenes were adorable and felt really authentic. It never felt forced or over-the-top; I genuinely felt like these two were having these gentle or cutesy moments together because they loved each other deeply and were the perfect fit for each other, which simply made it incredibly sweet to read. Especially since all of those moments were so nicely written too!
“I’ll wait for you, Rosie. I swear it. I’m in it for the long haul. I want all your tomorrows. Every single one you’re willing to give me.”
Moreover, I also really liked the unique premise this book presented where we saw fragments of the book that the two characters were writing together throughout this story. The actual book is written from the heroine’s POV, but these fragments gave us a lot of insight into what the hero was thinking too and it was often incredibly swoon-worthy. I always love seeing the parts in a romance where the hero is pining for the heroine, and these fragments gave us that (albeit second-handedly) in a very refreshing and powerful way!
The truth was I liked her no matter what she did, no matter what she said.
All in all, I was honestly surprised by how much I ended up loving this book. I have to admit that I thought this book would be kind of silly and perhaps even superficial (I’m not sure why, really), yet it felt much deeper and more emotional than that to me. Whether it was the pretty and easy writing, the pleasant pacing, the well-rounded characters, or the angsty, well-developed, beautiful romance; I loved it all!
**I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**...more
This was a story about the (often overlooked) sacrifices and heroics of women during the Vietnam War, and what major (and disastrous) i|| 3.5 stars ||
This was a story about the (often overlooked) sacrifices and heroics of women during the Vietnam War, and what major (and disastrous) impact their experiences, and lack of recognition for them, could have on the rest of their lives.
“Women can be heroes.”
At the beginning the story follows a fresh-faced nurse, Frankie, who naively signs up to the army in the hopes of becoming a war hero and making her dad proud, just like all the many generations of men in her family had done before her. Instead, she is immediately confronted with not pride, but shame from her family for going to war as a woman. Still, she remains enthusiastic and isn’t scared or afraid. She’s certain it won’t be that bad. She is sure she will end up at a fancy hospital, far away from the fighting, and everyone will welcome her back with open arms. After all, she would be completely safe in Vietnam, right? WRONG.
We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor. I wonder if any generation will ever believe again. People will say it was the war that shattered our lives and laid bare the beautiful lie we’d been taught. And they’d be right. And wrong. There was so much more. It’s hard to see clearly when the world is angry and divided and you’re being lied to.
At her first moment of arrival, she will understand how misled she was about the state of the war and about her own role in it. From the very beginning, she will live in dire circumstances, without a moment’s rest, and with constant death and decay around her. Her journey will continue to get worse and worse; more difficult, more extreme, more dangerous, more painful, more harrowing, and more heartbreaking. Still, through all the pain, she will be able to form immensely strong and unbreakable friendships that can only develop from living through a shared experience such as this, but, on the other side, she will also loose more loved ones than she ever thought possible.
From here, the war was almost beautiful. Maybe that was a fundamental truth: War looked one way for those who saw it from a safe distance. Close up, the view was different.
Simply put, she will go through all the horrors we expect from war. As a woman. And thus, upon return, without any of the recognition for her tragedy, trauma or courageousness. Instead, she is received with ridicule, disbelief and disgust. She will find nothing but hatred towards a woman who had the gall to go to war and fight to save other people’s lives. Even more, she will have to deal with the refusal of recognition for the skills she had gathered at war that no longer fit normal life; a life where a woman was meant to sit pretty and smile, but not actually do anything. Nobody wanted to acknowledge her experience, her past, her pain, her trauma, or even the simple fact that women could be veterans too, and Frankie quickly spiraled due to the shame and isolation that was put upon her due to her service.
The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.
Considering the main character of the book is a nurse, I suppose it should be unsurprising that there was a heavy focus on the medical aspect of the war as well; we don’t get to see combat, as everything that happens in Vietnam takes place at a hospital. We see Frankie go from being a (pretty much useless) newbie to being the most kick-ass combat nurse one could possibly be. She had no real experience or skills, but had to learn it all through the most dire circumstances, and learned to do more than any woman would have been allowed to in the real world. She learned everything in the most stressful situations imaginable, and it was extremely admirable. It’s why I understood Frankie’s extreme frustration when she was no longer allowed to use any of her skills after she got back; the outrage at being told it wouldn’t be appropriate for a woman…
“The world changes for men, Frances. For women, it stays pretty much the same.”
I do have a specific complaint, though, namely that I would have preferred the writing in this novel to be a little more emotionally charged. Sometimes it was a little too focused on general descriptions and failed to tell me the details of the wounded men or the specifics of Frankie’s thoughts and feelings about certain situations. I wanted to learn more about the men who needed to get treated, but perhaps the point of the book was that their individual stories didn’t matter; there were so many of them, they all just blurred together… And perhaps Frankie didn’t want to feel or think about certain things, so she wasn't able to give many details about that either… But still, we could have at least gotten more details about how her friendships and relationships formed and developed, because I feel like I was mostly told about that as well, rather than shown. In all honesty, I actually feel like this whole book was more telling than showing. Which is kind of the biggest critique I have of it.
We laugh so we don't cry.
Now, a quick recap of my opinions with regards to the side characters: Barb was the best. A true female icon and the very best friend you could have. I honestly think she would have had a more interesting story to tell than Frankie. Ethel was a nice friend and admirable woman too, but she paled in comparison to Barb. Frankie’s mom was okay, even though she had her flaws, but I think she did the best she could for a woman of her generation. Her dad was the absolute worst, though; he represented the epitome of toxic masculinity and I desperately wanted someone to knock that loser down a peg or two.
Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.
Frankie’s love interests all varied in range greatly. Henry was an amazing guy, but he deserved better than Frankie. I loved him, and it annoyed me to see Frankie remain so blind to all his lovely traits. I honestly started to hate her a little bit for what she did to him. Jamie was definitely a sweet guy too and was, I believe, genuinely in love with Frankie despite his marriage. He was honest about his feelings, but never pushed her to become his mistress. Theirs was the only actual romance I could somewhat believe in, despite Frankie’s insistence that the love of her life was Rye. Speaking of, I honestly don’t even want to talk about Rye and Frankie’s insane obsession with him, but I must. I swear, though, it was obvious to me from the very beginning that that guy was bad news. He was a smooth liar, but I still judged Frankie for not seeing through it. Especially later in the book… She was weak and pathetic for what she let happen between them, and I think it was the final nail in the coffin for my respect for her. To let your life be so derailed by some lying man you think you had love at first sight with, but with whom you never actually had more than lust, is something I can’t quite have sympathy for. Especially since she lost her morals along the way as well.
That was the starting and ending point in life: love. The journey was everything in between.
In truth, I really wish the author had made Frankie’s love-life less… frustrating. I honestly would have preferred there to have been no romance at all, and instead, I would have wanted the book to merely focus on Frankie’s journey of healing her mental health, which I feel was now overshadowed by her love-troubles. Even more, it were her romantic choices that made me ultimately dislike Frankie quite a bit, despite my desperately trying to understand her, which took away from the rest of the story as well. Also, her love-life became way too integral to her grief and suffering in the second part of the book, whereas I think it would have been stronger to let her mental health issues stem solely from her time as a combat nurse in Vietnam; after all, wasn’t that the point this book was trying to make? That the women were important too and that they needed help as veterans, and not as jilted mistresses? I mean, why was it that every time Frankie went crazy, it was about some guy? Why couldn’t it have been about her own trauma?
Maybe happy now, happy for a moment, is all we really get. Happy forever seems a shitload to ask in a world on fire.
Anyway, this all led me to seriously prefer the first part of the book over the second part by a lot. The first part, which showed Frankie’s time in Vietnam and first few months back at home, felt gritty and real and important, whereas the second part, which talked about the years afterwards, was veering into soap-opera territory. The non-stop drama and self-loathing was not only repetitive, but it all became very predictable as well, and some “plot twist” felt a little over-the-top and unnecessary. Even worse, I started to find some of Frankie’s choices to be… questionable, at best. I started to feel annoyed by her, which was the last feeling I wanted to have! I wanted to feel sympathy and respect, but at a certain point I couldn’t help but be exasperated....more
This is an anti-slavery novel written in the 17th-Century by the very first professional female author; for that reason alone I would a|| 4.0 stars ||
This is an anti-slavery novel written in the 17th-Century by the very first professional female author; for that reason alone I would already consider this to be a historically interesting and admirable piece of writing. However, it is not for that reason alone that I am glad to have read this, as it also turned out to be a surprisingly well-written, easy to follow, thoroughly compelling and emotionally engaging story! I truly felt my heart break and my anger rise during so many moments in this novel: it was so brutal and so tragic!
In the first part of the novel we get to see the beauty and honour as well as the hardships and barbaric customs of the African culture of which Oroonoko is a Prince. Then, after he is tricked into slavery, we get to see how disingenuous Europeans can be in how they betray their promises to Oroonoko time and time again. Yet, the Europeans also show him a tremendous amount of kindness and care that they do not show any of the other slaves. They claim this is because he is “different” and “better” than all the others, but it was clearly just because Oroonoko resembled their own features and customs more than the other slaves; his beauty and haughtiness somehow commanded their respect and admiration…
So as it was in vain to make any resistance, he only beheld the captain with a look all fierce and disdainful, upbraiding him with eyes that forced blushes on his guilty cheeks, he only cried in passing over the side of the ship, “Farewell, Sir, 'tis worth my sufferings to gain so true a knowledge both of you and of your gods by whom you swear.” And desiring those that held him to forbear their pains, and telling 'em he would make no resistance, he cried, “Come, my fellow-slaves, let us descend, and see if we can meet with more honor and honesty in the next world we shall touch upon.”
As I said before, this was a very gripping novel, and I especially felt myself near tears when it came to Imionda’s, even more so than Oroonoko’s, fate… Whereas Oroonoko had a very powerful and self-assured aura around him, Imionda was shy and defenseless and so entirely innocent. Considering Oroonoko himself had sold slaves when he was still an African Prince, I found it more difficult to feel true sympathy for him. I had no such problems with Imionda, and could only deeply admire her for her bravery and loyalty, and thus, my heart genuinely shattered into a million pieces for her from the moment she received the Royal Veil to the moment of her death…
“And why,” said he, “my dear friends and fellow-sufferers, should we be slaves to an unknown people? Have they vanquished us nobly in fight? Have they won us in honorable battle? And are we by the chance of war become their slaves? This would not anger a noble heart; this would not animate a soldiers soul: no, but we are bought and sold like apes or monkeys, to be the sport of women, fools, and cowards; and the support of rogues and runagates, that have abandoned their own countries for rapine, murders, theft, and villainies. Do you not hear every day how they upbraid each other with infamy of life, below the wildest savages? And shall we render obedience to such a degenerate race, who have no one human virtue left, to distinguish them from the vilest creatures? Will you, I say, suffer the lash from such hands?” They all replied with one accord, “No, no, no.”
Personally, I thought this novel showed a very interesting duality in how there were both Africans and Europeans who could either be pure and nobel and worthy of great respect as well as those who could be filled with deceit, dishonour and cruelty. This might not sound like much to today’s standards of racial equality, but for a novel written in the 17th-Century, which was during the very height of the slave trade, I found this to be extremely surprising and perhaps even inspiring to read!...more
It seems to me that Elisabeth has actually been so lonely and unhappy over the years. Sure, she loved her pack and her children, but sh|| 4.0 stars ||
It seems to me that Elisabeth has actually been so lonely and unhappy over the years. Sure, she loved her pack and her children, but she was clearly missing something. I don’t think she ever felt truly whole.
“One day,” she whispers to it. “One day, my love. I will look upon your face, and all will be well.”
However, the loss, the grief and the guilt never brought her to her knees; she always continued to be strong, courageous and formidable. Nothing could bring her down completely.
This felt like a very flowery love letter to nature.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around h|| 2.5 stars ||
This felt like a very flowery love letter to nature.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around her, and who would give up a fortune to protect it. However, she later wonders if she made the right choice and if saving a bird was worth more than money and the chance at friendship with another human....more
A cute, fluffy, angst-free read that’ll make you smile more often than not! It took me a little while to get into this one, but once I || 3.0 stars ||
A cute, fluffy, angst-free read that’ll make you smile more often than not! It took me a little while to get into this one, but once I did, I really had a great time with it.
Oh… This was actually quite sad. Depressing even. Definitely tragic.
Amberly was clearly such an insecure, naive, desperate and dumb gi|| 3.0 stars ||
Oh… This was actually quite sad. Depressing even. Definitely tragic.
Amberly was clearly such an insecure, naive, desperate and dumb girl, but the most awful thing about that was that Clarkson chose her exactly because of this. He wanted someone he could control and would blindly adore him no matter what, so that’s the only reason why he decided Amberly, as the biggest doormat imaginable, was perfect for him.
It was truly heartbreaking to see Clarkson propose to her with words that only portrayed calculation and manipulation from his side, yet having Amberly receive it with nothing but heart-eyes and love.
I really just witnessed the beginning of an abusive relationship, and the most painful part about it is that Amberly was so incredibly happy and grateful to be in one.
First things first, I really really loved Alosa’s pirate crew, and all of their dynamics together were by far my favourite thing about || 3.0 stars ||
First things first, I really really loved Alosa’s pirate crew, and all of their dynamics together were by far my favourite thing about this entire book! Not only is Alosa a great captain, I also truly loved all the men and women under her command. It was clear they all cared so deeply for each other but also had so much respect and admiration for what they each contribute! They all found a family in one another that loves them unconditionally.
That said, I think the romance part of this book was just plain bad. Riden was beyond frustrating to me from beginning to end, and neither did I enjoy any of his interactions with Alosa. The way he treated her irked me quite a bit, and they also lacked chemistry. There weren’t any real bonding moments between them, and all they did was bicker or make unfounded love declarations. I didn’t like it.
Opposingly, I was far more intrigued by the hints and glimpses we got of Kearan and Sorinda’s blossoming romance. We didn’t get much, but I ate up every little scrap we got. I love Sorinda’s black cat energy, and I adore the way Kearan seems to pine after her. I love that he truly wants to be better for her while she reluctantly wants to take care of him. It’s why I can’t wait to see their story develop in Vengeance of the Pirate Queen, which I just found out will be their own book! So exciting!
All in all, I don’t think this book was all that amazing, but I did read it easily and with enjoyment. It was, once again, a rather simple story with straightforward writing, but I liked it less than book one because it didn’t have as many fun scenes that showed Alosa’s sassy personality. I really missed the way she was in the first book! This particular story also didn’t have as many twists and turns, thus making it a little less engaging. Overall, this book was okay. Nothing more, nothing less.
This story is about a woman who receives the news of her husband’s death in a rather… unexpected manner. Instead of grief, she feels in|| 3.0 stars ||
This story is about a woman who receives the news of her husband’s death in a rather… unexpected manner. Instead of grief, she feels intense joy, gratitude and relief for the freedom his death will now grant her. Not because she hated him or because she didn’t love him, but purely because, without a marriage, she felt she would finally be able to genuinely live life without being held back and without restrictions. She would be able to live life for herself.
This story clearly displayed the very sad reality of the stifling and oppressive nature that marriage used to have not so long ago, and also how very little autonomy and liberty a woman had when she was legally tied to a man.
Oh, but that ending? Such a twist! I definitely didn’t see it coming!...more
Mare and Cal both had the personality of a wet blanket and I could genuinely not care any less about either of them. They were truly th|| 2.5 stars ||
Mare and Cal both had the personality of a wet blanket and I could genuinely not care any less about either of them. They were truly the blandest people to ever exist and having to watch them pretend to have chemistry or tension between them was simply embarrassing, especially as neither of these hollow characters could ever convincingly portray any strong emotions for anyone or anything. Their “connection” truly made no sense and was based on absolutely nothing. It was basically insta-love, and it truly bothered me to see Mare’s constant attraction to him, even despite knowing he stood against everything that she loved and believed in. Mare literally just betrayed her whole belief-system by having these feelings while Cal betrayed his own brother by acting on them, and for what? The most stale and meaningless romance ever?? It was simply ridiculous.
Maven seemed like a somewhat interesting and intriguing character with at least some sort of depth to him, but, unfortunately, he had non-existent chemistry with Mare from beginning to end, so all of his scenes were always a little awkward because of that. The fact that he constantly got sidestepped by everyone for his wet blanket brother, Cal, honestly made me annoyed most of the time. I know it’s probably controversial to say this, but I didn’t even feel that bad about what he did at the end. Sure, it was a bit over-the-top and dramatic, but I didn’t truly blame him for wanting revenge and for wanting to come out on top. I can’t really blame him for having the guts and brains to outsmart everyone, especially since nobody was ever truly in his corner. I mean, is he a good person? Certainly not. He is pure evil. But honestly, I’d argue that all of the characters are terrible, cowardly, and deeply selfish people. The only difference was that Maven wasn’t absolutely dumb as rocks like all the rest of them.
Anyway, I have to say that the plot was pretty simple and underdeveloped as well. It had an okay premise but the book didn’t do much with it and simply lacked a feeling of suspense in general. It all remained rather surface level, which is a shame, since the plottwists in this were actually good, so this could have been a really cool story.
When it comes the the writing and the pacing I honestly have some mixed feelings. On the one hand it was rather easy and smooth to read, thus making it possible for me to fly through these pages quickly, but then on the other, it also lacked any kind of depth or true emotion, thus making it a bit hollow and empty.
Long story short, I’d say this book was nothing to write home about....more
This was exactly as whimsical, fun, magical, and pretty as you’d expect from a fairytale retelling, especially one based in the world o|| 3.5 stars ||
This was exactly as whimsical, fun, magical, and pretty as you’d expect from a fairytale retelling, especially one based in the world of Alice in Wonderland. The writing style fit perfectly with the tone of the story and the world, and was therefore extremely easy to get swept away in.
Moreover, the story itself was very well-written as well. Retellings have a tendency to be rather predictable and boring, but I still found this one to be surprising enough to somewhat escape that fate. I think that is mostly due this being one of the rare retellings to focus on a character who does not have a happy ending and thus, that the retelling was capable of dealing with more sad or angry emotions as well as having impactful twists. The plot was also pretty well-executed and thought-out, which I appreciated a lot.
”One to be a murderer, the other to be martyred, One to be a monarch, the other to go mad.”
That said, I wasn’t as emotionally invested as I wish I could have been. I think it’s because I never actually liked Cath all that much. She’s supposed to be fun and sweet and cute at first, with this book showing us how she became the evil Queen of Hearts in the end, but I actually saw hints of her cruelty from the beginning. Her kindness and politeness always seemed a little like a mask she was wearing, hiding her true nature from everyone, including herself. I’m not going to go into spoilery details as to why I felt like this, but it were multiple small things that gave me the impression she was unnecessarily derisive, rude, ungrateful, egotistical and judgmental from the start. Really, the only thing I found likable about her was her fondness for baking; she was passionate enough about it for it to be truly charming.
"Off with his head."
Unfortunately, I also never got swept away in the romance between Jest and Cath. The insta-love connection between them did nothing for me; I never quite understood why either of them fell in love with the other, especially to the point of wanting to sacrifice everything for each other. Where did that deep love come from? They hardly even knew each other! It was quite ridiculous, and therefore left me feeling rather empty when it came to their forbidden romance and tragic fates.
"You've had me mesmerized from the first moment I saw you in that red dress, and I don't know what to do about it, other than to use every skill at my disposal to try and mesmerize you back."
In any case, I think the reason I did still enjoy this book was because of the lovely, whimsical writing-style as well as the properly thought-out plot, but I could have loved it more if I’d felt a better connection to the characters and romance....more
This was honestly such a fun and engaging read! It’s actually quite a simple story with rather straightforward writing, but I think the|| 4.0 stars ||
This was honestly such a fun and engaging read! It’s actually quite a simple story with rather straightforward writing, but I think there was something very pleasant about that. It’s super easy to follow along with and even easier to get lost in. Especially since it’s also very quickly paced and the plot could even be quite twisty.
The book is about a fiery, stubborn, badass girl who gets herself kidnapped on purpose so she can steal an important item for her father, The Pirate King. Nobody can know she’s a willing prisoner and neither can she reveal how skilled she is, so she has to keep herself in check most of the time. Still, she really isn’t capable of turning off her sass and snark, so her imprisonment is certainly an interesting experience and definitely far from boring.
I honestly really liked the heroine, Alosa. She wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, she never doubted herself, she had confidence in spades, yet she was never needlessly ruthless or cruel. She was a genuinely good person, but not one who had to make herself feel or act small to be liked. She was just really… cool.
When it comes to the romance though, I do think there could have been much better development. I really would have preferred a deeper, more meaningful connection between her and Riden, and I have to say it was unfortunately veering a little towards insta-love territory. That said, they did have some pretty fun banter sometimes and their overall dynamic was one I mostly enjoyed. It wasn’t anything special, but I liked them together well enough.
This was so mind-numbingly boring and truly beyond frustrating. I wish I could get the time back that I wasted on this book, but alas.
A|| 1.0 star ||
This was so mind-numbingly boring and truly beyond frustrating. I wish I could get the time back that I wasted on this book, but alas.
As you might expect from my introduction, this was the worst kind of chick-lit you can get with unfunny humour, over-the-top clumsiness, forced cheeriness and just all-around cringe. You always hope you’ll find that rare chick-lit that genuinely has you laughing out loud, infuses you with warmth, gives you all the feelings, and genuinely has an entertaining story, but unfortunately it’s safe to say that this was not one of those rare finds. The writing and story here were so flimsy and empty, it honestly felt like I was reading nothing.
The entire plot of this book literally goes like this: The heroine is a high-powered, driven career woman who gets into a major problem at her job, which leads her to have a huge meltdown, therefore resulting in her fleeing away and getting a job as a housekeeper by lying to everyone about her real life and credentials. Thus begins the rest of this entire book where we see the heroine attempt to cook and clean, but failing miserably at it every single time. I swear, this woman is incapable of doing the most basic things and we get to hear about it in detail. But, of course, along the way she realises that cooking and cleaning is actually the only thing in life that can bring her happiness so she decides to give up her entire career to become a housekeeper (even though she didn’t even know how to do something as basic as cook an omelet, operate a laundry machine, use a clothing iron, or literally do anything involved with keeping a house until a few weeks ago). You’d really think the most logical thing for her to do was simply go back to having an actual career but just attempt to find a better work-life balance (basically just stop being a workaholic but still do something she’s actually been trained for), but apparently that’s too difficult a solution for her to come up with. Thus, in the end, the heroine literally had some sort of existential breakdown and serious midlife crisis (at 29!) and saw that as a sign to throw her whole life away, but somehow I’m supposed to think this was a happy ending… Okay.
Also, if you expect any type of romance in this book: DON’T. There’s nothing here. The “romance” doesn’t even start until halfway into the book and even then it’s the most meaningless, boring, passionless and uneventful“romance” I have ever seen.
A sad, yet interesting, and undoubtedly clever story! I was deeply intrigued by the mix of emotions and characteristics we got to see h|| 3.5 stars ||
A sad, yet interesting, and undoubtedly clever story! I was deeply intrigued by the mix of emotions and characteristics we got to see here, and especially by the way they impacted everyone’s choices, prejudices, and future.
This story follows a man who says he is being haunted by a ghost who keeps warning him before terrible tragedy strikes.|| 3.0 stars ||
Oh, how creepy!
This story follows a man who says he is being haunted by a ghost who keeps warning him before terrible tragedy strikes. The man is beside himself because the ghost appeared before him again, and he now fears danger is looming ahead. Yet, the man does not know how to stop the upcoming tragedy from happening, nor does he know what the danger entails. He is scared and wants to do something to help, but knows he is useless to do anything. He is terribly frustrated because why would the ghost warn him without telling him what he can do to prevent the tragedy? He confides his troubles to a complete stranger, who comes to the conclusion that the man’s senses must be betraying him, and that the man’s illusions of the ghost’s appearances and coinciding previous tragedies have to simply be a coincidence. Still, the stranger doesn’t want to outright call the man crazy, or expose his secret to others, especially since the man seems intelligent and controlled in all other aspects. Thus, the stranger decides to let it be for the time being. However, the next night something happens that proofs the stranger wrong, and it certainly has dire consequences...
I think the reason this story worked so well for me is because I never figured out if the man’s loneliness made him see things that weren’t there, or if maybe he truly was being haunted by something supernatural. It all depends whether the end could be seen as a coincidence... Could it? I’m not sure. Perhaps the man’s fear and paranoia made him do things that led to this end. It could also be that the man’s own certainty of a fatal ending simply willed it into being. So many options, but no clear answer. ...more
Well, what can I say? It’s not like I hadn’t been warned this book would be bad. I had. And those people were right. I should have list|| 1.5 stars ||
Well, what can I say? It’s not like I hadn’t been warned this book would be bad. I had. And those people were right. I should have listened. It’s as simple as that.
But honestly though, it’s not as if this book didn’t have potential. It definitely did. I think the premise truly was very cool and intriguing, and even the plot itself could have been good. But all of that potential was simply wasted on piss-poor execution.
Firstly, the writing was very dull and lifeless; it didn’t have a hint of charm to it. The pacing was horrendous as well; there were way too many completely irrelevant and unnecessary descriptions, and nothing ever seemed to happen. All they did was walk around and search for something, but there was no action or suspense to be found. It was super slow and boring.
The characters were also insanely superficial and felt more empty than I could have ever thought possible. Their relationships all felt completely random and meaningless as well; nothing held even a hint of depth or intrigue. It was all so… worthless. useless. vain. insubstantial. vacant. boring.
Speaking of relationships, there is also romance in this book, and even though I think it was supposed to play a big part in the story, I didn’t actually feel any romance during the whole book. There’s supposedly a love triangle going on, but one of the guys was already in love with her from the very beginning (which felt like the biggest form of insta-love, but apparently he fell in love with her before the book even started and chose to let her go for power, yet the main characters doesn’t get to know or understand that until the very end??), and the other one apparently fell in love with her throughout the book, but I never would have guessed, since he didn’t act like it whatsoever. This dude was not in love. He simply wasn’t. I don’t care if the book tells me he was, I don’t believe it. Thus, all in all, both of these stories had to be the worst romances I have read in a while, cus neither of them actually gave me any romance…
Last but not least, there’s a supremely predictable twist at the end where our main character gets betrayed, but I swear, you have to be the blindest person on the planet to have not seen that one coming. It was obvious from the beginning that a certain someone could not be trusted, so I definitely did not care for that reveal. It was all very anticlimactic and underwhelming.
Long story short, I still think this could have been a good fantasy book. But only if someone else had written it....more
The plot here was definitely an improvement from the first book. It was much more hands-on; we actually got to see The Naturals in acti|| 3.5 stars ||
The plot here was definitely an improvement from the first book. It was much more hands-on; we actually got to see The Naturals in action rather than them just sitting in a house, babbling about how special they are.
The murder mystery was actually very intriguing and I felt super curious from the very beginning about what truly happened. The resolution and reveals were good too; I didn’t feel disappointed or underwhelmed at any time.
Furthermore, I was also very intrigued to find out more about some of the characters’s histories. Especially Dean. That guy has been an enigma from the start, but his past was clearly very dark, disturbing and haunted. I was hooked on every little scrap we got about him. I honestly feel like he would have been a much more interesting main character than Cassie… His past, his coping mechanisms, his fear, his repressed anger, but also the way people around him seem to care so deeply about him and want to do anything to protect him; it’s all so much more complex and meaningful than anything Cassie has to offer as a main character.
Nonetheless, despite the positives this book had to offer I still can’t get past that horrendous love triangle. Seriously, the love triangle was still as stupid as ever. There was just zero reason for either boy to be obsessively in love with this random girl, but somehow they still are. It was also obvious from the start which of the two boys Cassie would choose, so it wasn’t particularly exciting to watch the development in that department.
Also, am I the only one who was actually insanely curious about the reason why Michael and Dean hated each other so much? Deep down they clearly did care about each other, but for some reason they choose to mask it by a lot of animosity and mistrust. Why? They’re both nice guys, so it’s not like either of them really had a reason to be enemies with the other based on principle, so something must have happened in the past. But what is it? Is it truly just that dumb reason Michael gave; about Dean repressing his anger? That would be such a silly reason to me…
Sloane is probably the most likable person in the group to me. She’s the most socially inept but obviously has the best intentions. There’s nothing more endearing to me than a socially awkward genius trying to make sense of other people’s emotions through statistics and logic. She’s always trying to help and comfort, but just isn’t very skilled at doing it right.
I genuinely think all of the members of The Naturals are sweet people in their own way, but the only exception to that is Lia for me. She is just so freaking annoying and entitled. Her relationship with Dean and Michael are both so weird and I hate the way she takes all of her frustrations out on Cassie whenever something goes wrong with either of them, especially when it comes to Dean. Like, calm down, girl. That boy is not some sort of precious china doll you need to protect at all costs. Get a hobby or something and stop obsessing about a guy like your whole life depends on it. It’s even more embarrassing and pathetic since Dean clearly doesn’t care that much about her in return; he’s more interested in Cassie’s well-being and it’s painfully obvious. I’m not sure whether the book will ever try to make Michael and Lia a thing, but I sure hope not. Lia’s priority has always been Dean, and Michael deserves better. Just like it’s also obvious that Michael would never look twice at Lia if Cassie gave him a shot. Putting these two together in the end would thus be supremely unsatisfying.
Anyway, long story short, this was a very fun, engaging, suspenseful and mysterious story that managed to have me hooked from start to finish! The silly love triangle is dumb, but the plot itself was actually surprisingly good.
This was a simple story with not much meat to it, but it was still pretty fun and entertaining. People say it’s kind of like a YA Crim|| 3.0 stars ||
This was a simple story with not much meat to it, but it was still pretty fun and entertaining. People say it’s kind of like a YA Criminal Minds, but I really think it wasn’t anywhere near that quality to be even remotely compared to it. The actual profiling the characters do here isn’t particularly extensive or cleverly put together, but I am willing to give credits for the effort. I mean, the execution really isn’t anything special, but I like the idea.
The main mystery plot was pretty interesting and kept me hooked at trying to figure it out. The reveal was a little awkward, though. I get why the author chose to go this route because it was shocking and impactful, but it was also very dumb since it seriously made me question all of “The Natural” kids’ abilities. The whole point is that these kids can perfectly read people and catch serial killers, but none of them noticed anything off about the killer living right under their noses? They’re clearly not very good at something they’re supposed to be super talented at… It’s a little embarrassing. Truthfully, all this book did with that was show their complete and utter incompetence.
Of course, there’s also an instant love triangle that comes straight out of nowhere. Cassie doesn’t truly know either boy, but she’s inexplicably drawn to one of them and the other is inexplicably drawn to her. In the end, she has two boys fighting over her even though she has the non-existent personality of a cardboard box. It’s the same old, same old. It’s very clear that Michael is just an obstacle, though; I’m willing to bet Cassie is going to end up with Dean. Michael is fun and flirty and actually shows interest in her, but Cassie doesn’t think or care about him like she does Dean, who is broody and self-loathing and tries to fight his attraction to her at all costs. Michael would be the obvious choice for any well-functioning, normal person, but it’s always the Dean-types who get the girl in books, so I am pretty sure this series won’t be any different. That said, I really don’t dislike either of the boys, and I kind of just want both of them to be happy, so I hope the author will find a way to make them happen.
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