cmcintyre's reviews
1066 reviews

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

4.75

This is a truly beautiful story. I loved the vulnerability of both characters and the honesty it takes to hear those vulnerabilities to another person. Some may think this book uses the "miscommunication trope", but I strongly disagree. Miscommunication tropes in my mind stem from a place where a character *think* they know what a person is thinking and feeling and then uses those thoughts to make a decision. That is entirely different from being afraid to open up your soft spots to someone for fear of being hurt.

Finley and Gray have such a fun base friendship from being in each other's lives for so long. Brother's best friend and all that. I haven't read the first book in this series, but I'm sure both characters make appearances and more of their original friendship is shown. The build up is so organic and believable. The struggles they each go through tugged at my heart and I honestly teared up in a few places. I kept preparing myself for spicy scenes, but aside from kissing and being mentionings in the epilogue it was all just sweet, swoony romance. .5🌶️ maximum.

This is my first Madison Wright book and I will absolutely be going back to her backlist and reading those as well.

Thank you Madison and NetGalley for this ARC. Pub date Sept 27 2024. 🩷

The Situationship by Abby Jimenez

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

I've never highlighted so many things in such a short span of pages. I would read the hell out of a full length Maddy/Doug story! *Sigh*

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

Bel lives her life under the shadow of her mom's disappearance 16 years ago. She is the only witness, but can't remember anything as she was only a toddler. Found alone in the backseat of her mom's car on the side of the road, engines on and heat going. She's ready to move on and stop being Rachel Price's daughter. When a film crew comes to do a true crime documentary on her mom's disappearance, she hopes this will finally put the story to bed and the suspicions of her dad being involved. Until the unbelievable happens: Rachel Price shows up on the side of the road, dirty, injured, and in tattered clothes. Now, Bel's whole world is turned upside down.

I was pretty confident I had this whole thing figured. Carter I figured out within the first few chapters, and I had my suspicions about a few things that panned out--though not quite the way I thought they would. Everything went so much deeper than I thought. Plot line twisted together and woven into a crazy story about family secrets and just how far people will go to cover their own asses.

I enjoy Holly Jackson's writing. I've read everything she's written all the way back to AGGGTM. Though that still holds its place as my favorite HJ book, this one is honestly a pretty solid second. It managed to surprise me and make me gasp despite guessing so e key plot points. Color me impressed.

Thank you NetGalley, Holly Jackson, and Random House Delacorte Press for this ARC

Fall With Me by Becka Mack

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

5.0

How can Becka make me root for a couple I wasn't sure was gonna be a good fit, rip my every loving heart out with backstory and real life struggles, and then piece it all back together so that by the time the book is finished I have warm fuzzies and tears on my face?! Few things: Ryne is a stupid name for a stupid, arrogant, twatwaffle. Sarah has my whole heart. Cara is a badass queen. Group chats make for the best comedy.

I'm so sad there's only one more book left. Cara & Emmett will undoubtedly be the most heart wrenching and beautiful story though. Bring it on, Becka.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced