Tag Archives: 5 stars

All The Feels — Olivia Dade

Genre: Romance, Comedy
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warning: Discusses fat-shaming and domestic violence.

“All the Feels” follows Lauren Clegg, a former ER therapist, and Alex Woodroe, a famous actor in the long-running TV show “Gods of the Gates”. Hired to keep Alex out of trouble, Lauren must follow him wherever he goes. With a budding friendship and a ton of sexual tension on the line, this book, although shelved as a sequel, really isn’t. You could read it as a stand-alone, so don’t let that deter you.

Does this book encompass the close-proximity trope? Honestly, I don’t know. I feel like Lauren and Alex would’ve fallen in love either way, but I guess their close proximity did help. Also, I will not be picking favorites from this series. I just loved them both so much. The writing is great, the characters are charming and complex, the stories are radically different (although they both include famous actors and non-famous, plus-sized women falling in love), and they are both spicy, if you know what I mean.

I would recommend this book to anyone who’s ever fantasized about soulmates or read fanfiction or both. I would recommend reading Spoiler Alert first, but honestly this series is like multiplying, the order of the factors does not change the product—you’ll love the stories no matter which one you read first.

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Beach Read — Emily Henry

“Happy endings don’t matter if the getting there sucks.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Content Warning: Discusses death, divorce, cancer, and violent cults, mentions of cheating (but not from the main characters).

“Beach Read” follows January Andrews and Gus Everett, two former university classmates-turned writers, as they fight through some writer’s block in a small beach town by Lake Michigan. Both fighting different demons, they embark on small adventures as they venture outside of their writing styles as well thanks to a small bet between the two competitive writers. This is a book for romance-lovers and cynics alike.

I… I understand the hype. That’s all I can say. January and Gus were lovely characters, but so were all the supporting characters. I don’t know who I grew to love the most: January or Gus or Pete or the Labradors or the Labradorite (which is actually a really pretty stone, Google it). It is beautifully written, as Emily Henry transports us to that small town feel. It is heartbreaking, as both January and Gus grow as people. It is healing, as every loose knot is tied in the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heavy but heartwarming story, with a very very very HEA.

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“Your mother has been a lot of people in the twenty year I’ve known her, and I’ve had a chance to fall in love with every single one of them, Janie. That’s the key to marriage. You have to keep falling in love with every new version of each other, and it’s the best feeling in the whole world.”

Spoiler Alert — Olivia Dade — Spoiler Alert #1

Genre: Romance, Comedy
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses fat-shaming.

“Spoiler Alert” follows April Whittier, a geologist and fanfic-writing stan of a popular tv show, and Marcus Caster-Rupp, one of the actors of said popular tv show and a fanfic-writer himself. April and Marcus have been chatting on online forums for years under aliases. When April finally posts a picture of her cosplays online—under another alias—it goes viral and trolls go off with their insults because of her plus-size take. Without knowing that April is his fandom bestie, Marcus invites her on a date to spite the trolls and because he found her cute. But what will he do when he finds out she is his closest friend from the fanfic forums? That’s for you to find out once you grab this book.

How have I never heard of Olivia Dade before? This book was perfect. Her writing was descriptive without being boring, and her characters were well defined and complex. The dialogue was witty and funny, and did not seem forced at all. Was it predictable at times? Yes, sure. But come on, everyone was rooting for the exact ending we got, what’s wrong with that?

I would recommend this book to anyone who’s ever read or written fan fiction—or anyone who loved the Disney movie Starstuck. Essentially, if famous person-normal person romances are something you’d enjoy, read this book ASAP. It was so good, I seriously couldn’t recommend this book enough.

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Regretting You — Colleen Hoover

“Right after something tragic happens, you feel like you’ve fallen off a cliff. But after the tragedy starts to sink in, you realize you didn’t fall off a cliff. You’re on an eternal roller coaster that just reached the bottom. Now it’s gonna be up and down and upside down for a long, long time. Maybe even forever.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses racism and discrimination.

This is the first Colleen Hoover book I’ve reviewed on this blog, but this is not the first Colleen Hoover book I’ve read, far from it actually. Oh gosh, I don’t even know how to describe this book after finishing it. I am shattered, but let’s move on… “Regretting You” is written from two perspectives: Morgan’s and her 16-year-old daughter Clara’s points of view are explored after a big life-altering event (in the form of a car accident) changes their family dynamics forever. Filled with love, friendship, family, and heartache, this book will absolutely tear you apart and pull you back together in about 350 pages.

And even when I didn’t think Colleen Hoover could wreck me even more than she’s done in the past, she goes and does it again. I broke for Morgan. I cried for Clara. I hurt for Jonah. I fell for Miller. It was all too much.

I don’t even know how to recommend this book. Just read it. Please. Do yourself a favor and read it. This book is a romance, but it’s also so much more, it explores familial love and sickness and friendship and adoration. READ IT READ IT READ IT. Add it to your TBR. If you don’t trust me, trust its 4.23 stars rating on Goodreads (from more than 120,000 readers).

p.s. It’s settled now. I will never have a favorite Colleen Hoover book. My favorite Colleen Hoover book will always be the last Colleen Hoover book I’ve read.

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ARC — Must Love Books — Shauna Robinson

“There’s more to you than just your book.”

Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses racism, suicide, and suicidal ideation.

You know the feeling when all the things that could go wrong, actually go wrong? Well, that’s exactly how Nora Hughes is feeling after she finds herself stuck in a job that’s underpaying her and that’s in her dream field, but not even remotely close to her dream job—she’s an assistant editor at a publisher…..that only publishes business books written by middle-aged white men for middle-aged white men. She dreamed of editing the next big American novel, but that couldn’t be further from her reality. So when they cut her salary even further, making it so she can’t even afford rent anymore, she will have to resort to some slightly unethical practices to survive.

Don’t let the cover misguide you. The publisher does not classify this as a romance book, and they’re right at that. “Must Love Books” is not a romance per se, even though there are some romantic scenes and sexual tension here and there. It, in fact, does not bang (like, they do bang but we don’t get to see any of that).

On another note, I found it a bit off-putting how the narrator went about addressing race. I feel like she put so much focus on people being white, judging them instantly at times. And I get it, I’m latinx and I’ve been underestimated by the way I look, but in Nora’s case, it was mentioned too much, especially in the beginning of the book.

Putting those things aside, this was a great book. I mean, what reader doesn’t love a book about books? The characters were charming and the story engaging at all times.

I would recommend this book to readers who’ve enjoyed books by Sally Thorne and Emily Henry. I mean, to be honest, I will probably be recommending this book all year round. It’s that good.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

ARC — Paper Girl and the Knives that Made Her — Ari B. Colfer

“i think about how we are both paper
but i was the one who got the cuts.”

Genre: Poetry, New Adult, Self-Help
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Given by the author (10/10 for that)— Discusses mental health conditions, suicide/suicidal ideation, self-harm, sexual assault, gun violence, and violence against POC. Briefly mentions body dysmorphia and drug/alcohol use, and other tough topics.

First things first, I must say I came into this book a bit biased. I have loved Ari B. Cofer’s poetry (and illustrations) on instagram for years. I have been on her email list/tender poets club for a while now too. I came in knowing I would love this book. I knew it would be great. But yeah, not even my wildest thoughts could’ve predicted how much this book would move me.

This debut poetry collection does not disappoint. It’ll take you through an emotional rollercoaster, for sure, but it’ll also soothe you with doodles and drawings scattered between the words. These drawings are characteristic of Ari B. Colfer’s work, as can be seen on her social media (@ari.b.colfer on instagram, check her out, you won’t regret it), and they add a special touch to this collection. I know doodles and drawings aren’t an innovation when it comes to contemporary poetry books, but hear me when I say that Ari’s drawing hit different. With their bright colors and harsh words, they bring so much to this book.

Not all poems in this collection are perfect—some are more like a broken down sentence pretending to be a poem—yet I seriously couldn’t recommend this poetry book enough.

I would recommend this book to people who’ve hurt before but are halfway through (or fully) mending now. This book could be a tough read for anyone who’s vividly living through a mental health crisis right now or who is still processing a traumatic event. Be careful when you grab this book. Be gentle with it and with yourself. But grab it once you’re feeling up to it, as it’ll be healing in and of itself.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Central Avenue Publishing for letting me read an early copy of this book. I preordered a physical copy this morning because 1) I love Ari’s poetry, and 2) It’s just that good and I feel a need for a physical copy even though I’ve already read it.

“you will remind yourself it’s not your fault.
you did not choose to be raped,
the rapist chose to be a rapist,
you’ll remind yourself to let go.”

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

If I Never Met You — Mhairi McFarlane

“She thought there was a lot of truth in the closest friendships being unconsummated romances.”

Genre: Romance, Comedy
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions pedophilia, but isn’t a prominent topic.

This book follows Laurie and Jamie as they embark on a fake relationship that benefits both parties. Laurie is newly single after being in a relationship for more than 15 years and is in a rather uncomfortable position, as her ex is her coworker and said ex has conveniently knocked up his girlfriend of less than a month. Jamie, on the other hand, doesn’t believe in relationships but his boss thinks he should be in a stable one in order to get his dream promotion. Will the fake relationship follow its course and serve its purpose? Or will it evolve into something more?

Holy hell, did I enjoy this book. I already had high expectations because one of my friends (who’s a rather harsh reviewer) gave this book a 5-star rating, and oh did this delivery. Mhairi McFarlane brilliantly illustrated this rather complicated story. There is so much depth in the characters as individuals and the way their unlikely friendship grows. It’s astounding. I want to start this book over again. Right now. Erase my memory so I can relive all the emotions and feel all the heartache and butterflies and nervousness.

I would recommend this book to anyone into romance, especially if you like authors like Emily Henry and Sally Thorne. Well, you know what? Even if you don’t like authors like Emily Henry and Sally Thorne, STILL GIVE THIS BOOK A TRY. You won’t regret it. It’s a fun (and funny) easy-going book, it won’t be life-changing but it won’t be a waste of your time either.

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ARC — Long Story Short — Serena Kaylor

“What must it be like to feel so confident in your own skin that wearing another person’s seemed like nothing at all?”

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

“Long Story Short” follows Beatrice as she embarks on a Shakespearian summer camp adventure in order to show her parents she’s mature enough to move to another continent in order to attend the university of her dreams. Branching out from a to-do list, she makes friends, breaks rules, and, surprisingly, has some fun in the process.

I found Bea’s inner voice to be very engaging and I absolutely loved the friendships she built as she broke out of her shell. Mia and Nolan were the perfect summer camp friends, and they kind of made me reminisce all the friends I made in summer camps when I was younger. Slow-burn crushes usually aren’t my favorite, but I must say I enjoyed this one very much.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes nerdy YA novels, because oh- does this book get down and nerdy about Shakespeare. But really, you don’t have to know much about Shakespeare to enjoy this book (take it from me, I’ve only really read Twelfth Night and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book). Do not hesitate to pre-order this book, so you’ll get it as soon as it’s published. You will not regret it.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 26, 2022

p.s. Nik is essentially Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and I was there for it.

ARC — The Surrender Theory: Poems — Caitlin Conlon

“grief has always kept a neat house, which is to say
sometimes feelings are so large that there
isn’t space for anything else.”

Genre: Poetry
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Death, grief, and mental health (stated in the beginning of the book, 10/10 for that)

This poetry book looks at the topics of death and grief from a very crude, very recent, very real stand point. I loved the hand-drawn doodles that were there to guide you through the story. I loved the duality of Caitlin Conlon’s writing, as the words were both tender and heartbreaking. I think this book has been my favorite poetry book of 2021. I think Coded Signals is my new favorite poem STOP but, also, Ode for the Girls that Camp Out for Concerts spoke to me so deeply. It’s literally the story of me and my friends and how we waited outside of SNL to see Taylor Swift for two seconds (spoiler alert, we didn’t).

I would recommend this book to anyone who’s still grieving (a death or a heartbreak) even if it’s been years since the loss (but really, only pick it up if you feel you’re ready). I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes the works of Andrea Gibson, as I feel they will absolutely love “The Surrender Theory”.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

p.s. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book.

p.s.s. I think I’m still in the aftermath.

Publication Date: February 22, 2022 (omg 02/22/22, that’s amazing)

A Woman Is No Man — Etaf Rum

“To want what you can’t have in this life is the greatest pain of all.”

Genre: Cultural heritage fiction
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Trigger Warnings: Death, domestic violence, r*pe

It took me a long time to finish this book, but only because it carried such a heavy message. It has absolutely no reflection on the masterpiece of a debut this book was.

“A Woman Is No Man” follows three generations of Palestinian women; all in different stages of their lives, all trying to do their best within their possibilities, all linked by the tragedy of being alive in a society that wants to silence them.

Every time the title of the book was mentioned within its chapters it just absolutely tore me apart. My heart broke for Deya, Isra, Fareeda, Sarah, and every woman that’s ever felt like they have no voice and no choice.

This book is an absolute must-read. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s so well written and it shares a story that isn’t showcased enough in mainstream writing. If you’re able to get a hold of this book, do it. I tried listening to an audiobook but it wasn’t the same. Reading the words to this book is absolutely necessary.

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