Scan barcode
andthensarahread's reviews
105 reviews
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
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? No
4.75
Plot: 4.75
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: Finally jumped back into this series. We've jumped ahead in time a bit and are left trying to figure out what went wrong in the interim.
The Susannah storyline was sad, but ultimately I loved seeing how her character affected each of the others (including Conrad & Jeremiah's father, who we got a little more info out of in this book). Laurel was a surprise favorite of mine in this book, moreso than the first book. She was shown as strong, but caring, which I loved.
I had a bit of a hard time with the Conrad-Belly-Jeremiah dynamic in this book. It's actually difficult to know who to "root for". And though it was difficult at times, Taylor and Belly's friendship ups and downs felt very real.
Ultimately, this book was the emotional journey of multiple characters who are trying to figure out how to move forward in the face of sadness and also trying to figure out their own identities, needs, and desires.
Great book, looking forward to finishing the series!
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: Finally jumped back into this series. We've jumped ahead in time a bit and are left trying to figure out what went wrong in the interim.
The Susannah storyline was sad, but ultimately I loved seeing how her character affected each of the others (including Conrad & Jeremiah's father, who we got a little more info out of in this book). Laurel was a surprise favorite of mine in this book, moreso than the first book. She was shown as strong, but caring, which I loved.
I had a bit of a hard time with the Conrad-Belly-Jeremiah dynamic in this book. It's actually difficult to know who to "root for". And though it was difficult at times, Taylor and Belly's friendship ups and downs felt very real.
Ultimately, this book was the emotional journey of multiple characters who are trying to figure out how to move forward in the face of sadness and also trying to figure out their own identities, needs, and desires.
Great book, looking forward to finishing the series!
Promise Me This by Hannah Bird
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Plot: 4.75
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: Thank you so much to Hannah for allowing me to ARC read this novel. I have read her other books ("The End and Then" and "What's Left of Me") and, truly, there's not a single one that disappoints.
One thing I appreciate about this book (and really everything she has written) is a MMC who is overall good, kind, emotionally mature, strong, and supportive. I adore Callum and I adore his relationship with his daughter. I love Leo's bravery though she is broken and hurting. Despite the traumas and difficulty in their lives, despite that they spent so much time apart, and despite the walls they've each built up over time, I loved this story of these two people coming back together to heal.
Of course, this book had me in tears multiple times. It's hard not to really become invested in these two, but also in the supporting characters as well. I am a huge fan of Hannah's writing and ability to make you love her characters as much as she obviously does.
Can't wait to read anything and everything Hannah Bird writes in the future!!
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: Thank you so much to Hannah for allowing me to ARC read this novel. I have read her other books ("The End and Then" and "What's Left of Me") and, truly, there's not a single one that disappoints.
One thing I appreciate about this book (and really everything she has written) is a MMC who is overall good, kind, emotionally mature, strong, and supportive. I adore Callum and I adore his relationship with his daughter. I love Leo's bravery though she is broken and hurting. Despite the traumas and difficulty in their lives, despite that they spent so much time apart, and despite the walls they've each built up over time, I loved this story of these two people coming back together to heal.
Of course, this book had me in tears multiple times. It's hard not to really become invested in these two, but also in the supporting characters as well. I am a huge fan of Hannah's writing and ability to make you love her characters as much as she obviously does.
Can't wait to read anything and everything Hannah Bird writes in the future!!
Teka Legacy by Dee Osah
challenging
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Plot: 3.75
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.94/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found this book interesting and sometimes very heartfelt, but ultimately had a hard time connecting to the characters fully.
The Teka family as a whole were well written characters individually. I felt their dynamic with each other was great. Bart and Abe's power struggles felt very real as did the bond between Darah and Eli and the withdrawn nature of Clement. I did struggle at times with the side characters and the necessity of those relationships. Geri particularly was confusing to me regarding her feelings and motivations.
As for Phoebe, I liked her character, but it was hard to figure out why her backstory was featured so heavily. It felt unnecessary overall. And her boyfriend, Zef, was awful and unnecessary as well. I almost felt her character would have been better served without quite a bit of that side story. Just the concerned counselor was enough.
Overall, I did enjoy the concepts of found/built family and exploring the complexity of those relationships. Thank you for letting me read this.
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.94/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found this book interesting and sometimes very heartfelt, but ultimately had a hard time connecting to the characters fully.
The Teka family as a whole were well written characters individually. I felt their dynamic with each other was great. Bart and Abe's power struggles felt very real as did the bond between Darah and Eli and the withdrawn nature of Clement. I did struggle at times with the side characters and the necessity of those relationships. Geri particularly was confusing to me regarding her feelings and motivations.
As for Phoebe, I liked her character, but it was hard to figure out why her backstory was featured so heavily. It felt unnecessary overall. And her boyfriend, Zef, was awful and unnecessary as well. I almost felt her character would have been better served without quite a bit of that side story. Just the concerned counselor was enough.
Overall, I did enjoy the concepts of found/built family and exploring the complexity of those relationships. Thank you for letting me read this.
Prelude of Fire by Christine E. Schulze
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Absolutely loved this story from start to finish and I can't wait for more in this series. The characters were all so well thought out and lovingly described. I loved the relationships in this book, whether family or friends/chosen family.
I really enjoyed the overall story as well. It was unique and different from many fantasy books I've read. The idea of the Sere and the magic and powers of the various peoples were well crafted. It was detailed without being too long or tedious. Without giving spoilers, there were also a few decent plot twists in there!
I will say some of the characters lost along the way were shocking to me. This does have a moderate amount of violence and heavy themes (death, destruction, loss, betrayal), but is really heartfelt as well. Not a spicy fantasy, this was a clean read from that perspective.
Read if you like: magic, quests, action/adventure fantasy, complicated family dynamics, some violence, chosen family, clean.
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Absolutely loved this story from start to finish and I can't wait for more in this series. The characters were all so well thought out and lovingly described. I loved the relationships in this book, whether family or friends/chosen family.
I really enjoyed the overall story as well. It was unique and different from many fantasy books I've read. The idea of the Sere and the magic and powers of the various peoples were well crafted. It was detailed without being too long or tedious. Without giving spoilers, there were also a few decent plot twists in there!
I will say some of the characters lost along the way were shocking to me. This does have a moderate amount of violence and heavy themes (death, destruction, loss, betrayal), but is really heartfelt as well. Not a spicy fantasy, this was a clean read from that perspective.
Read if you like: magic, quests, action/adventure fantasy, complicated family dynamics, some violence, chosen family, clean.
Stranded with Scrooge: A Semi-Royal Holiday Novella by Maude Winters, Maude Winters
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Plot: 4
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.13/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was a really quick, easy to read novella. It started with a kind of a not so cute Meet-Cute with two strangers trapped in an airport when they can't get flights out for Christmas. They both are a judgmental of each other after making assumptions, but end up seeing their true personalities. Cue some rom com fun!! I actually thought it was a sweet story and I found the chemistry between Nira & Auggie was heartwarming.
There was some light spice nearing the end. It didn't get wildly graphic, but definitely steamy.
My only gripe is that the end seemed weirdly abrupt, which I should have perhaps expected with a shorter story, but still. I just wanted it a bit more fleshed out in the end.
Read if you like: rom com, short and sweet, enemies to lovers, light spice
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.13/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was a really quick, easy to read novella. It started with a kind of a not so cute Meet-Cute with two strangers trapped in an airport when they can't get flights out for Christmas. They both are a judgmental of each other after making assumptions, but end up seeing their true personalities. Cue some rom com fun!! I actually thought it was a sweet story and I found the chemistry between Nira & Auggie was heartwarming.
There was some light spice nearing the end. It didn't get wildly graphic, but definitely steamy.
My only gripe is that the end seemed weirdly abrupt, which I should have perhaps expected with a shorter story, but still. I just wanted it a bit more fleshed out in the end.
Read if you like: rom com, short and sweet, enemies to lovers, light spice
Verity by Colleen Hoover
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Plot: 4.75
Engagement: 5
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.81/5
Review: Brrrooooooooooo. Where do I begin? That was....nuts 🤣🤣🤣. I'm stuck between wildly disturbed and extremely impressed. That plot though. That twist though. I'm crying and laughing right now. I should have gone to bed hours ago, but I couldn't put this down. I think it broke my brain. Normally, I'm decent at guessing the endgame, but not this time. This is the most incoherent review ever, but trust me when I say READ THIS BOOK. Well done @colleenhoover *Starts the slow clap*
Engagement: 5
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.81/5
Review: Brrrooooooooooo. Where do I begin? That was....nuts 🤣🤣🤣. I'm stuck between wildly disturbed and extremely impressed. That plot though. That twist though. I'm crying and laughing right now. I should have gone to bed hours ago, but I couldn't put this down. I think it broke my brain. Normally, I'm decent at guessing the endgame, but not this time. This is the most incoherent review ever, but trust me when I say READ THIS BOOK. Well done @colleenhoover *Starts the slow clap*
Wahala by Nikki May
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 3.75
Characters: 5
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.38/5
Review: To start out, I found some difficulty in the language differences, not only with the smattering of Nigerian words/phrases, but also the French in Boo's section, and the British English throughout. Luckily, this was not so much that it was unbearable, but it did slow me down at times. I found it very slow to build that "can't-put-it-down" feeling, but once that point in the book hit me, I finished it in a couple of hours. What this book lacked in engagement, it more than made up for in plot and characters. The characters were interesting, varied, lovable but flawed, and relatable. It ended up really tugging at the ol' heartstrings by the end and I wished I had more story after it was over! I want to know what happens next, I'm invested in these ladies!! On a personal level, I felt connected to the multiracial characters and each of their feelings regarding their heritage. The style was interesting, alternating from the perspective of each of the three main characters. It gave the reader inside knowledge of parts of the manipulation, but also kept you guessing at the motivations. Overall, I ended up enjoying this book a lot. Not at all what I expected: mystery, drama, tested friendships, tested relationships. I'm thinking of buying this book hardcopy because I liked it so much!
Engagement: 3.75
Characters: 5
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.38/5
Review: To start out, I found some difficulty in the language differences, not only with the smattering of Nigerian words/phrases, but also the French in Boo's section, and the British English throughout. Luckily, this was not so much that it was unbearable, but it did slow me down at times. I found it very slow to build that "can't-put-it-down" feeling, but once that point in the book hit me, I finished it in a couple of hours. What this book lacked in engagement, it more than made up for in plot and characters. The characters were interesting, varied, lovable but flawed, and relatable. It ended up really tugging at the ol' heartstrings by the end and I wished I had more story after it was over! I want to know what happens next, I'm invested in these ladies!! On a personal level, I felt connected to the multiracial characters and each of their feelings regarding their heritage. The style was interesting, alternating from the perspective of each of the three main characters. It gave the reader inside knowledge of parts of the manipulation, but also kept you guessing at the motivations. Overall, I ended up enjoying this book a lot. Not at all what I expected: mystery, drama, tested friendships, tested relationships. I'm thinking of buying this book hardcopy because I liked it so much!
Love is an Art by Kathy Strobos
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Plot: 3.75
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.94/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have read another book in this series (My Book Boyfriend). I felt Love is an Art was less captivating overall. I'm not as into art as I am with books, so there was a disconnect on that. I also had a harder time connecting to the characters and felt their conflict was a little forced. It seemed silly that they both were dumped unceremoniously and had the same "trauma" over that, but Zeke still wanted to break it off with Tessa over something minor in my opinion.
It was nice to see a continuation/further story with this friend group. It just didn't catch me like the other book did. Still looking forward to more New York Spark series.
It was overall a light, quick romance. Read if you like: rom com, clean/closed door romance.
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.94/5
Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have read another book in this series (My Book Boyfriend). I felt Love is an Art was less captivating overall. I'm not as into art as I am with books, so there was a disconnect on that. I also had a harder time connecting to the characters and felt their conflict was a little forced. It seemed silly that they both were dumped unceremoniously and had the same "trauma" over that, but Zeke still wanted to break it off with Tessa over something minor in my opinion.
It was nice to see a continuation/further story with this friend group. It just didn't catch me like the other book did. Still looking forward to more New York Spark series.
It was overall a light, quick romance. Read if you like: rom com, clean/closed door romance.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 4.31/5
Review: Without going into too much personal detail, I definitely identified with portions of this book. Outside of that, it was a heartfelt, emotional story about knowing your worth, living life to its fullest, not giving up on love, and cherishing your loved ones.
At the start, I wasn't super invested and I had a hard time connecting. When we really get to the heart of the story, though, I ended up loving the depth of the characters. The family dynamics, sibling relationship, and healing of their connections was beautiful.
The secondary story with Benji also ended up tugging the heartstrings, though I felt it was predictable.
Overall, Florence's relationship with her father and the family dynamics explored in this book are what really hooked me and made me emotionally invested.
"I began to realize that love wasn’t dead, but it wasn’t forever, either. It was something in between, a moment in time where two people existed at the exact same moment in the exact same place in the universe."
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 4.31/5
Review: Without going into too much personal detail, I definitely identified with portions of this book. Outside of that, it was a heartfelt, emotional story about knowing your worth, living life to its fullest, not giving up on love, and cherishing your loved ones.
At the start, I wasn't super invested and I had a hard time connecting. When we really get to the heart of the story, though, I ended up loving the depth of the characters. The family dynamics, sibling relationship, and healing of their connections was beautiful.
The secondary story with Benji also ended up tugging the heartstrings, though I felt it was predictable.
Overall, Florence's relationship with her father and the family dynamics explored in this book are what really hooked me and made me emotionally invested.
"I began to realize that love wasn’t dead, but it wasn’t forever, either. It was something in between, a moment in time where two people existed at the exact same moment in the exact same place in the universe."
Addicted to the Ruin by Rosa Lee
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Plot: 4
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4.25
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 4.06/5
Review: This is the sequel to a book I previously read, Addicted To The Pain. As I said last time, the dark smut is not my norm. I do appreciate that both these books have an interesting plot/story and are well written! They are heavy on the smut with lots of darker elements, which is not a bad thing. If that's your genre of choice, you will love Rosa Lee's books.
A criticism I have for this one is the storyline with Lark/Rook and their father felt rushed through. After the build up in the first book, I expected there to be more of that plot in this book. Otherwise, I love the characters, the steam is very steamy, and the relationships are complex and interesting.
Read if you like: enemies to lovers, reverse harem, why choose, shared trauma, taboo.
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4.25
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 4.06/5
Review: This is the sequel to a book I previously read, Addicted To The Pain. As I said last time, the dark smut is not my norm. I do appreciate that both these books have an interesting plot/story and are well written! They are heavy on the smut with lots of darker elements, which is not a bad thing. If that's your genre of choice, you will love Rosa Lee's books.
A criticism I have for this one is the storyline with Lark/Rook and their father felt rushed through. After the build up in the first book, I expected there to be more of that plot in this book. Otherwise, I love the characters, the steam is very steamy, and the relationships are complex and interesting.
Read if you like: enemies to lovers, reverse harem, why choose, shared trauma, taboo.