Tag Archives: 3 stars

Shipped — Angie Hockman

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

This book follows Henley and Graeme, two coworkers who go off on a cruise to get an immersive experience of the company they work for, as they’re both competing for a promotion. Mostly set in the Galápagos Islands, this is a tropical, entertaining read.

I wouldn’t call this a romance book, not even as a joke. It’s fiction (Women’s fiction, if you will) and it might’ve even been a good fiction book at that, it’s just not a good romance book. The plot is engaging, especially for people who are intrigued by nature and wildlife. Nonetheless, the character development was horrible. Actually, it’s so bad that it didn’t make sense at times. The relationship between Henley and her sister fluctuated so much and without reason. Henley and Graeme fell in love through lustful eye contact, I guess? Because they barely talked in the beginning. I don’t know. The characters weren’t it for me, but the plot was different and so I enjoyed it and that’s the only reason why I rated it the way I did.

I would recommend this book to conservation and biodiversity enthusiasts and someone up for a nice, filler book. This will not satiate your need for romance, take my word on it.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

p.s.: It’s described as “The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game”? Really? This book reminded me of anything but those books. I guess they’re comparing it to them because the characters are competing for a promotion (The Hating Game) and because they’re forced to go on a vacation together (The Unhoneymooners)? But, like, in The Hating Game the dynamic between the characters was wildly different and in The Unhoneymooners they shared a room in their vacation and were legit pretending to be together. If Henley did not want to interact with Graeme while they were on the big-ass cruise, she could’ve done that. I don’t know, maybe it was just me.

The Date Swap — Lydia Westing (Scribd Audiobook)

Genre: Romance, Comedy
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

This audiobook follows Lyla and Daniel as they fake their way through two family weddings—they did not have dates and were both heading to adjacent resorts, so might as well, right? Set in Hawaii, this could be a fun listen if you’re going on a tropical vacation.

For what I understand, this seems to be an exclusive audiobook for Scribd, which is kind of cool, but I must say I was a bit disappointed. This audiobook felt like a Wattpad story of sorts. Just make any of the main characters a famous pop star, and there you’d have it. I also wouldn’t call this a romance. It did not bang (truly). But it was fun and short, and entertaining enough to listen.

The audiobook is about 3 hours long (or 1.5 hours long if you listen to it in x2, like I do). I think if it would’ve been any longer, this might’ve been a DNF for me. But if you have Scribd, by all means, give it a listen. I’m not sure who I’d recommend this book to, but it serves as a quick filler or pallet cleanser after any book that’s touched a heavy or dark subject.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything — Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Genre: Coming-of-age, YA Romance
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Content Warnings: Sexual assault, death

I thought I would like this book more than I did, and, honestly, may this review not discourage you from reading this beauty of a book. It is truly so wonderfully written. There were just so many little things about that plot that didn’t sit well with me, so I couldn’t, in good conscience, give it a higher rating.

This book follows Sia Martinez through her high school experience, having lost her mother to a desert after she had been deported and had decided to walk back. Having also been sexually assaulted. Having been paired up with a cute boy who she’ll eventually get to love.

What didn’t sit well with me was how hyper sexualized the narrative was (after she had been recently sexually assaulted). I could not relate with how Sia reacted after the death of one of the characters. But good for her for getting over things so quickly, I guess?

I would recommend this book to sci-fi lovers and people interested in space and alien life.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.