As someone living with OCD, though not the same subtype, it was refreshing to see a raw, realistic depiction of it. I really connected with Eliot and what it’s like to live inside her head: the doubt, the racing thoughts, the compulsions, the spiraling. I really felt seen.

Surprisingly, I also enjoyed the complex family dynamics of the Beck family and the way Noyes showed how each member processed the grief of Henry. I feel like the the book’s title really shone here: Eliot hid her OCD in plain sight, the family hid their grief in plain sight, and so on.

And even though romance is a part of Eliot’s story, I wouldn’t classify this as a romance. I loved Eliot and Manuel’s relationship, but the romance does take a backseat to everything else happening. However, I actually didn’t mind this.

If someone does pick up How to Hide In Plain Sight, I’d tell come for the romance, but definitely stay for the complex family dynamics, mental health representation, and character studies.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

3/5 stars

I Got Abducted By Aliens was an absolutely romp that I enjoyed — but not as much as I thought I would.

I knew going into this that IGABA would be absolute chaos and unserious in the best way. I mean, it’s Kimberly Lemming! However, I think that the chaotic nature of this book constantly worked against it.

Sometimes it felt like there was too much going on at once, and because of this, the pacing is uneven and the writing lends itself to be choppy in some areas. I also didn’t form strong, meaningful connections with the characters — even Dory — because I felt like I didn’t have enough time to. I wanted to know MORE about the triad’s own personal backstories. If this book was 50-75 pages longer, I think we could’ve gotten there.

IGABA did manage to have the perfect balance of spice and humor, but didn’t strike the chord for me in terms of romance. I don’t mind instalust, but beyond the sexual chemistry, the romantic chemistry left little to be desired. I really wanted for Sol and Lok, especially, to build a better connection.

All things considered, this was still fun! This triad was entertaining to follow and their personalities bounced perfectly off one another. But I think my favorite character was definitely Toto. That snarky lion has a special place in my heart 😅

Even though this particular book wasn’t my favorite, this will be enjoyed if you’re craving something lighthearted, spicy, and camp 🦕

I'll Have What He's Having by Adib Khorram

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emotional funny 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? It's complicated

3.5

3.5/5 stars

For Adib Khorram’s first foray into adult lit, this was pretty good!

David and Farzan were lovable characters with a dynamic chemistry. I particularly enjoyed that they were older MCs that were still trying to figure things out. Not everyone has their life figured in their 30s and people do still grapple with things such as relationship shifts, aging parents, living up to expectations, work-life balance, and chasing your passions.

However, I think my favorite part was the focus on community. Khorran did an excellent job at highlighting how friends, family, and others play an integral part in someone’s support system.

That being said, something about this book fell short for me. I think it might be the writing style. It could become too descriptive and repetitive at times. The third act breakup also didn’t quite work for me, as I felt like it could have been solved with a short conversation between the two parties.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Khorram’s first adult novel and I’m excited to see what he does next.

Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

4.75/5 stars

This was an adorable one-shot!

Home Office Romance is the perfect manga if you enjoy opposites attract, forced proximity, and grumpy/sunshine romance. Nokoru and Natsu had such great chemistry and bounced off of each other perfectly.

They also brought out the absolute best in one another and by the end, I wanted to read more of their shenanigans and adventures together.

For Yamada’s first one-shot, this delivered. The panels were beautifully detailed, the characters were enjoyable, and it was the nice, sweet romance that I needed.

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dhatislandbookworm's reviews 254 reviews

dhatislandbookworm's reviews
254 reviews