“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are par3.65!
“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.�
After the success that part of your world was (for me) I thought that this would be an amazing read as well, especially with the way it was shaping out to be. the first half was so strong and so sweet and cute. It was honestly looking like it was gonna be a five star read, sure it was slow at the start but i I was having a good time with this one but then came the second half and it frustrated the fuck outta me. I would still say that this was a fun read and not at all bad- it just could've been so much more than it was. One thing for certain is that Abby Jimenez is actually very talented and has the ability to write the best summery rom-coms and I will read her grocery list if I have to.
Jacob was easily the highlight of the story! He actually saved this book. This man was a walking, talking green flag and one so adorable. I actually saw so much of myself in him- well....he was a lot more selfless than I could ever be but I related to his reactions to social anxiety and the way he dealt with them because reading his arc felt so real, I go through the stages that he goes through and I loved the way it was depicted because I could see myself through it and I loved it! it was like I was screaming at the book "SEE?!?" because everything that Jacob did felt so relatable. I feel like Jimenez did everything for his character and made it feel so perfectly done. I loved how he did not shy away from confessing his feeling to us in his point of views and the effort that he put in for Bri spoke louder than anything. Jacob was truly the star of this book.
Bri's part was where Abby messed up. I felt particularly nothing towards her- I feel like her trauma and past wasn't explored more and she wasn't given the dept Jacob was given which made her actions rather more erratic. I did understand why she had trust issues but I did not feel that strongly for her despite her heavy losses because they barely get talked about in the book. One thing that I absolutely hated about her was her constant need to assume everything which messed everything up and caused so much miscommunication, both of them struggled to express their feeling but when Jacob actually asked her out, she denied and assumed that he was seeing her as a booty call and I was like yk that man for 6 months, you work with him everyday, he donated his fucking KIDNEY for your brother and hid it to avoid any recognition and you still assumed that?? the back forth that bri caused was not fun to read and when it got all resolved Bri (Jimenez) slaps us with a third act and I was furious.
The romance was cute, I enjoyed it a lot. The letter and the fake dating + the kind gestures and all the domestic moments, it was so fun to read but I feel like the miscommunication was done for the sake of more angst and tension and it failed miserably there :(
All in all, I had my share of enjoyable and frustrating moments! ___ "Jimenez is a true talent" is what Emily Henry said and she's not the one to lie ...more
"Trust me, Lib," I said, picturing her lips. "In a crowd of million ski masks, I'd still be able to find you."
-My biggest flex is having watc3.65!
"Trust me, Lib," I said, picturing her lips. "In a crowd of million ski masks, I'd still be able to find you."
-My biggest flex is having watched all the movies/shows mentioned.
This book was not needed and the breakup felt so odd that I wasn't able to enjoy that aspect.However, I would be lying if I said that I did not enjoy this book because it was very enjoyable, maybe it was Lynns writing in this one or maybe it was the longing that I felt to meet these characters again but despite this, I still had problems one of them being the overuse of Taylor swift references, to an extent are fine but this was just too much, and other problems. one thing that I really appreciated was the length of the book it wasn't overwhelming or too much, I liked it, it was easy to read and the flow of writing was there, keeping me connected to the story. I also liked the fact that Lynn sticked to chapters with short to medium length instead of those long chapters in bttm because this was much more easy to read, tbh I read this faster than bttm because its written in an easy to reads way. Now where did my problems start? well:
“Now we’re just two people who used to know each other.�
The characters. it was obvious that the characters that we have come to adore so much would face changes because of the time jump but man :( I did not enjoy it that much, it was understandable that they had to change but I was just not happy that they had to change because the way they were written in bttm was near perfect and I loved that version of them.
Liz Bauxbaum, her character was likeable to an extent, I was with Liz on this side of the break up because she did nothing wrong and was kept out of the blue, I liked how mature she was and I also liked how she handled and managed everything and how good she was doing. Though I liked that part of her, I so missed her old character that I loved sooo much was missing and I loved that Liz, she was charismatic and fun to read. The traces of her juvenescence vanished into thin air. One more thing about Liz that I found missing was her love for rom/coms and I liked how the quotes from the rom/coms written in bttm were something reflected Liz and Wes's love and how Liz would talk about them, this was so missing and the quotes from the rom/coms in this one didn't hit. That was one of the reason why I did not enjoy it because I missed her old version so much.
Wes Bennett, I was excited to read about Wes the most because I loved him in bttm and I wanted to read more about him, but it was not the way I wanted to read about him. His story was very complex, I did and did not agree with his actions. I loved how much he groveled, I loved how he didn't give up when he came back and I also loved how he was head over heels in love with Wes but I did not agree with him shutting off Liz and breaking her heart like she was nothing and then trying to claim it back?? I was so mad tbh at this because the break up hit Liz so hard and with how he lies to Liz because he knew she would not give up on him and she would have helped him but his constant need to push her away and to be alone made me furious, I did understand it (barely) but it still made me mad because I knew he was worth looking over, worth caring for and worth everything Liz had to offer but his constant denial at that fact and his guilt driving him and Liz apart made me so angry because I did not want to see Liz like that, These two are inseparable and no matter what the other says they would always stick with each other, so when I saw the methods Wes used to keep Liz away, it broke me because that was just low. Some people won't understand this but in my eyes the Wes from bttm movies would NEVER do that. I still forgave him but it bugged me a lot.
“Say it again.â€� “I love you.â€� “A²µ²¹¾±²Ô,â€� “I love you, Wes Bennett, I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love you.â€�
The romance, I mean come on guys?? it's Wes Bennett we're talking about. He is everything. The way he groveled for Liz and tried to keep a distance when he learned that she was dating (fake) someone else, so it wouldn't ruin her relationship with him, that is the Wes I know and love. I loved how he didn't give up, I loved his banter with Liz, his little flirtatious comments , the teasing, the pining, the angst, the tension, everything was so well done and how it went till the end was the saving grace for this book in my eyes it was so well done and I loved Liz the most here for acting so mature in this situation and with how she handled everything, especially their conversation outside the ice cream shop where everything bottled inside of them bursts free and the confessions + the arguments that we got were *chefs kiss* I was knees deep in love with that and oh my god! Lynn just aced the romance part. However, everything related to the breakup was infuriating especially Wes thinking that he could just break Liz's heart and try to claim it back.
It was truly such a complex novel to love, I would have lived happy without having read this because in my eyes the perfect version of these characters exist, and now they are flawed, I still enjoyed the more mature gaze from their perspective but I missed their younger versions of themselves, maybe in another year when I pick up this book, I would appreciate the emotions put into Wes's pov more and would be able to look at it from a fresh pair of eyes, enough to make it worth four stars
Also this was also more enjoyable for me because I buddy read it with Roxy that process itself, the timing and the rants were so fun and we both had somewhat mutual feelings so I think that was definitely another reason for an increase in my enjoyment for this book ...more
The more I think on it the more I dislike it. There were so many plot holes that a finale should not have. It was supposed to be wrapped up perfectly The more I think on it the more I dislike it. There were so many plot holes that a finale should not have. It was supposed to be wrapped up perfectly but it unfortunately was not and I didn't want to give it a two but that's what it deserves and I'm sad to part ways with this series this way ...more
I almost never read Roman mythology- well like I do read articles and stuff but not retellings and this one fairly surprised me. I won't be g3.47!
I almost never read Roman mythology- well like I do read articles and stuff but not retellings and this one fairly surprised me. I won't be giving a big review and I won't call it a novella either because it was more of a novella and read like it and even for an audiobook it was very short. So, I was able to enjoy it way more than I should have. I feel like there were so many names to keep up with and there were certain parts where I would zone out because it felt like it was dragging but there were other moments where it was very enjoyable. I liked that it wasn't from the male pov but more from the female perspective and I liked the we saw the war battle and the whole Trojan horse scene from a women's perspective- meaning that it felt more of an observation. Usually I don't like telling and I like showing more but the FMC was telling us what was happening and it was heavily intertwined with her emotions. It feels like a storybook that someone tells you when you're about to sleep and I definitely think that I enjoyed it more of it because of the audiobook. I didn't really form a solid opinion about the characters because I wasn't able to build that connection with them but it was enjoyable to read about them. It's like the story heavily follow Aeneus but his story is not told through his pov but rather the women related to him but I liked the glimpses of romance that we got and men fighting over women ...more
I love how I start every tessa bailey book saying that "faith in her restored" or "never trust her" im glad3.75!
“You love her?� “I exist for her.�
I love how I start every tessa bailey book saying that "faith in her restored" or "never trust her" im glad that this was not the latter. It was such an enjoyable book!! It was very fun and addictive and super easy to read and it wasn't even that long which made it very bingeable. After how the au pair affair went I was skeptical picking this up but I'm glad it hit. The first half was definitely the saving grace of this because it was just very strong, the tension and chemistry was sizzling there, the last half got a little weak as compared to the first one but it wasnt enough for me to hate it. I liked how it overall shaped up. I also liked her take on this forbidden romance and I feel like she did a decent job.
Chloe was such a diva she felt like elle from legally blonde and amanda seyfried from mean girls and I absolutely loved that because she was so fun to read. There was a point where she annoyed me because of her childish tendencies but for the most part of this book she was actually very fun to read about, I liked reading about her pursuing her career in music and playing the harp and I also liked how she cling to independence, it was very fun. Sig, he was soooo good. I liked how he did everything for Chloe and I loved how he spoiled and her treated her so well, how he bought her everything and took care of her without making her feel like she was being a burden, I also liked how he was willing to sacrifice sm for her (it felt a little unrealistic but it was sweet) I also liked the lengths he was willing to go for Chloe and I also loved his family drama part.
The romance, When I see TB I see Insta lust, so I was sort of prepared but insta lust rarely works for me and this one annoyed me a bit. I liked the attraction and the tension tho, the chemistry was definitely there and I liked how the whole forbidden aspect played out. I think I liked it more because it wasnt too taboo but also the right amount of forbidden for it to be angsty. The spicy scenes were also very spicy and lmaoo idk why tessa is getting so creative with her sex scenes because wdym she fingered his ass. I liked the banter between them but I felt like at one point the step sibling drama became too much and I wanted more development and fluffy scenes for them.
The plot, I was shocked to see that there was a plot outside the romantic one, I liked how it was played out and how it intertwined with the romantic plot, who knew tessa bailey would write a good plot twist because I was shook lol she should focus on the plot more at times for her books because I was very invested in this books. I didnt like one thing tho, which is that with every book the sporty parts just disappear like I would actually like to read about them.
Overall, it was very enjoyable!
read it if you like: -Dysfunctional family -Forbidden romance -Dive fmc X downbad mmc -Angst, tension and spice -Sports drama (contract stuff, very less sports stuff) ____ This was wayyyy better than book 2 (1 star) and not as good book 1 (4 stars) but still very enjoyable!! ___ The arcs just sitting there in my shelf looking at me and I'm in the mood for some spicy trashy Tessa baileyness ...more
Very close to being a masterpiece! this was so well-crafted and it also gave me major the poppy war vibes while both are very different, the 4.45!
Very close to being a masterpiece! this was so well-crafted and it also gave me major the poppy war vibes while both are very different, the overall vibe and the way the characters think really made me resemble them and I loved it because I loved the poppy war! I initially wanted to read 'The Sword of Kaigen' first but I got an arc of this book and I was so excited!! so obviously I dove into this one first and it's one of the best decisions that I have ever made. It was slow paced but whenever I picked it up, my soul would be consumed because I would actually be breathless by the time I looked up from my screen, it was that captivating, Wang's writing style was perfection it made me feel everything, laced with a thin layer of Hun our was maybe all that I wanted and hoped for because the way it was crafted and thought out was so brilliant that I actually want more, this is such a bittersweet story but a one that has such important themes. My only complain was the pacing but it still so worth the story.
Basically, we enter an enriched world where theres this high magistery which is basically fueled with institutional sexism where like theres literally no women and during the admission only one woman get a chance to enter so here we follow our main character Scoia who's just out of the world brilliant and observant and like thinks out of the box and wants to like do well for the future of more woman (this isnt really based on feminism lol but it was an aspect) so she goes there and obviously gets admitted. So like there ever highmage gets a kwen assistant and Kwens our basically the lowest race, possible the 'untouchables' who follow a different religion and out persecuted for that and tirens(?) are like the highmages and the upper-class who treat the Kwens like shit so Sconia gets this really amazing, well informed Kwen named Thomil and omg the things that he unraveled were absolutely amazing. After this event the story starts to progress so muchhh.
Theres minimal romance, high institution politics, magic, ruthless fmc, heartbreaking and obviously well themed.
Sconia, Our main character is the perfect example of someone brain fed with propaganda to the point where they are so infused with it that they follow it without question and blindly following a religion is also a main theme of this book, the main character is also an example of someone who has been raised to follow a religion without the ability to question it, they are just made to follow it and not question it and like I loved it because Sconia was so brilliant, easily one of the smartest characters and it shows how easily she was manipulated and a major reason for this was everyone she trusted was feeding her this so like it really makes you think how propaganda can be s dangerous but also I loved how she bordered the limits of her potential and sometimes crossed it and with the help of her assistant unlocked the truth that everyone is hiding and I love, love, loved how ambitious she was and how when she set her mind on something she achieved, mercy and second thought be damned (lol runin vibes) but yeah it also showcases how when someone is fueled by anger and hate they dont think twice and act on their impulse to free the minority and often in process forget the innocents that live among them and I feel like this was so complex and so beautifully written!!
Thomil, was such an integral part of this story. He was the balance, he was the truth, without hijm we would've blindly followed Sconia along her journey both of us being blind to the atrocities being committed while he was scheming and plotting and helping her, struggling with keeping his niece safe and trying to make their lives better. The complexities that his character provided for our main character were so beautiful I liked how she didnt blindly accept him and went through so many emotions to accept it, felt very realistic and I love Thomil for being the way that he was.
The ending was truly heartbreaking, it was so poetic, it was so beauty, it was carnage, it was chaos and it was peace so I am satisfied and I am in love with this book.
Overall, I would recommend this! ___ I am soooo excited for this ...more
"Come out of the damn house and glare at me, shout at me, come out and throw rocks at me, and tell me every single thing you hate about me, ju4.15!
"Come out of the damn house and glare at me, shout at me, come out and throw rocks at me, and tell me every single thing you hate about me, just come out."
I have been putting off this review because I really don't know what to say. It was written beautifully, the dialogues and the prose had me breathless because it was denying any attempt I made to put this book down. It is no surprise that I love the way Wendy writes and the themes discussed in this book were very dark, very deep, almost similar to A little life in a way and it was hard to read so I would recommend that you check it's Trigger Warnings but besides that it was a wonderful experience.
"I quite like it down here. Have come to realise why humans get on their knees to pray. Certain things do look like quite something to behold from here"
Silene I wanted to give her a massive hug because what she went through and how she looked at herself broke my heart. She was a very well written character imo and yk that she's well written when you can feel for the characters in the span of 180 pages. Gabriel, the way he called Silene his ruin, his damnation, his demise was so cute. He was such a flawed character and his relationship with his brother Azriel was depicted so well!! Though both of them are really well written characters, I just did not love them as much as I loved the characters from the previous books.
"I want to give you everything, Silene. Let me give you everything."
The romance, it was the sweetest thing that I have ever read, both had undergone such trauma, dealt with such grief and the way they found peace in each others arms and how they longed to see each other and touch each other when they knew that they couldn't AHH. I just wished we had more time with them.
Overall, another great addition to this series but my least favorite as I had problems with the connection with the characters and the time it took for the romance to progress but it is still a book worthy enough to get four stars! I also can't wait to read the next one!
*Thank you to the author for sending me an E-ARC
Merged review:
4.15!
"Come out of the damn house and glare at me, shout at me, come out and throw rocks at me, and tell me every single thing you hate about me, just come out."
I have been putting off this review because I really don't know what to say. It was written beautifully, the dialogues and the prose had me breathless because it was denying any attempt I made to put this book down. It is no surprise that I love the way Wendy writes and the themes discussed in this book were very dark, very deep, almost similar to A little life in a way and it was hard to read so I would recommend that you check it's Trigger Warnings but besides that it was a wonderful experience.
"I quite like it down here. Have come to realise why humans get on their knees to pray. Certain things do look like quite something to behold from here"
Silene I wanted to give her a massive hug because what she went through and how she looked at herself broke my heart. She was a very well written character imo and yk that she's well written when you can feel for the characters in the span of 180 pages. Gabriel, the way he called Silene his ruin, his damnation, his demise was so cute. He was such a flawed character and his relationship with his brother Azriel was depicted so well!! Though both of them are really well written characters, I just did not love them as much as I loved the characters from the previous books.
"I want to give you everything, Silene. Let me give you everything."
The romance, it was the sweetest thing that I have ever read, both had undergone such trauma, dealt with such grief and the way they found peace in each others arms and how they longed to see each other and touch each other when they knew that they couldn't AHH. I just wished we had more time with them.
Overall, another great addition to this series but my least favorite as I had problems with the connection with the characters and the time it took for the romance to progress but it is still a book worthy enough to get four stars! I also can't wait to read the next one!
*Thank you to the author for sending me an E-ARC...more
“I think just because you can't keep something doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. Nothing lasts forever. What matters is what we take with us.�4.50!
“I think just because you can't keep something doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. Nothing lasts forever. What matters is what we take with us.�
When I first saw this book I thought that it was gonna be normal typical famous woman hiring a bodyguard and they'd fall in love kinda romance so I was skeptical going into it but then I saw Emily Henry's blurb which said 'my perfect ten of a book' and you have no idea how fast I got it because obviously I love Emily Henry and I didnt wanna read this book alone so I also called Roxy another hardcore emily henry fan to read this with me and it's safe to say that it was a ten of a book for us. Katherine Centre does such a mega job in keeping us invested in this story and tbh it wasn't even that big of a book it was the average size a romance book SHOULD be and it delivered, I feel like the writing style was very easy to read and entertaining overall and it was so damn binge-able that I read it in a day I think?? I liked how we went with the flow and didn't feel bored once. This is the ideal romance book for me tbh.
Hannah reminded me a bit of Sloane from king of sloth but I overall liked Hannah more. I loved how she became self aware and at the end and I honestly felt for her because she was surrounded by such negativity!! Imagine having a lying, cheating, whoring ass of boyfriend who undermined you every chance he got and and having a best friend who would sleep with your said ex boyfriend?? They were for the streets frr. So it was understandable for her to be reserved and more work driven but I loved her as the story progressed and when she opened up. Jack was the ideal man. I can't even begin the way he tried to avoid so many conflicts and so many things and the way they avoided a whole ass third act break up which would be there if it was cough Tessa bailey cough but the way that man tried to steer it away and said lets make it worthwhile while i can just name so many others who would make such a big mess of it. Loved it!!
The romance was a thing that needed a little improvement like don't get me wrong I loved the forced proximity+ the slow burn and I loved how it was clean with no spice but I just wanted a bit of development on there part it was as if somewhere along they just fell in love and we didn't get to see either but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.The plot was fun!! I enjoyed it a lot especially the last few moments of the book. They really had me shook ...more
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