Placeholder review for later, when I can be coherent: We freaking LOVED THIS!!! Funny and heartbreaking, with serious content and yet somehow cozy too.Placeholder review for later, when I can be coherent: We freaking LOVED THIS!!! Funny and heartbreaking, with serious content and yet somehow cozy too. Masterpiece audio. Serious contender for 2023 favorite. Possible perfect 5 stars.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
3.5 Stars Overall, what a fun adventure! I went in thinking this was middle grade, but it's probably better categorized as young adult.
There are wonde3.5 Stars Overall, what a fun adventure! I went in thinking this was middle grade, but it's probably better categorized as young adult.
There are wonderful themes of friendship, and even romance. But there are also very dark themes depicting orphans, slaves, and children targeted by predators. I would have happily done without that last storyline, and just enjoyed the happier and more lighthearted parts.
Highly recommend listening on audio!
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
Another PERFECT BOOK. After having my mind blown by Julia Whelan's second book, Thank You For Listening, I immediately had to inhale this one too. FunAnother PERFECT BOOK. After having my mind blown by Julia Whelan's second book, Thank You For Listening, I immediately had to inhale this one too. Fun, smart, hilarious, deeply moving, with characters you will absolutely fall in love with. Listen on audio, because Julia is a queen! I only wish that she had a dozen more books!!
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
This is THE BEST ROMANCE I'VE EVER READ!!!!!!! It's flawless! I'm an incredibly stingy, difficult to please, downright romance-Grinch. Many times I'veThis is THE BEST ROMANCE I'VE EVER READ!!!!!!! It's flawless! I'm an incredibly stingy, difficult to please, downright romance-Grinch. Many times I've thought that it's not even fair for me to sample romance books because I'm so damn picky.
Thankfully I gave this a try. Julia Wayland is a phenomenal narrator. Turns out she's also a phenomenal writer! I RECOMMEND THIS UNRESERVEDLY TO EVERYBODY no matter what your genre preferences are. It's impressive!
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
This book has EVERYTHING! People of color in Starring roles. Queer rep. Mental health rep. Hilarity. Excellent romantic friendship, also excellent cheThis book has EVERYTHING! People of color in Starring roles. Queer rep. Mental health rep. Hilarity. Excellent romantic friendship, also excellent chemistry and sex scene (non graphic). FOUND FAMILY. Cute kids. Cute old people. Cute dog. Seriously cool witchy goodness and Magic system. And best of all, KINDNESS underpins everything. It reminds me of everything I loved in House by the Cerulean Sea plus everything I love about Miyazaki's adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle. So much heart and dignity. I just want to live in this book. Pick this up when you want something both profound and cozy.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
I've now read 3 books by this author, and I'm a fan. All of them started off unimpressive, mediocre even, but soon find their stride and fini4.5 Stars
I've now read 3 books by this author, and I'm a fan. All of them started off unimpressive, mediocre even, but soon find their stride and finish in triumph. Midnight was even more enjoyable than the first Austenland, and that ending was extremely satisfying! I'd be delighted with a 3rd installment.
A note on the audiobook - this narrator represented all the characters in a pleasing manner. The first book's narration made the unfortunate decision to go overboard with Miss Charming. Happily this one redeemed the character in both text and audio narration.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
This started out as only OK, but by the end was feeling like perfection. The humor was on point, and the swoon-worthy stuff at the end? Holy 4.5 Stars
This started out as only OK, but by the end was feeling like perfection. The humor was on point, and the swoon-worthy stuff at the end? Holy macaroni. I am NOT typically swoon oriented, but this worked for me in a big, big way. I totally got the same feeling I did watching the P&P movie adaptation, but maybe even moreso because I actually liked this Darcy much earlier on.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
4.5 Stars Overall pretty darned great. Excellent rep for POC, sexual positivity, mental health, mental health professionals, quality relationships. And4.5 Stars Overall pretty darned great. Excellent rep for POC, sexual positivity, mental health, mental health professionals, quality relationships. And favorite tropes: Fake dating, bed sharing, playing house, childhood friends / nemesis. And this whole story happened in the days leading up to her brother and his male fiance getting married. This beautifully depicted gay relationship was a real treasure.
While this was not really lighthearted, I laughed out loud several times. I also legit cried during a crucial scene. I loved that romance was supportive, mature, honest, vulnerable. She pulled from her experience as a therapist, but never tried to analyze or fix him. And although their romance was a component of change and revelation, it was not the thing that made everything perfect. Nothing was perfect. Which made it perfect!
They had terrific chemistry and, due to their shared childhood, had a great wealth of shared history. They laughed a lot and teased each other hard, but it never crossed the line. The sex scenes were healthy and positive (yay), and quite steamy which was a little much for me. Sadly, the author used certain crude words for private bits that always makes me gag. Oh god, now I sound like a 19th century schoolmarm. Not a prude, just triggered by those two words.
The only glitch in the good writing was the massive overuse of the word "giggle," which made it seem sophomoric in those instances.
I'll definitely be reaching for more from this author, during those rare times when I crave a contemporary romance.
PS: this was my first Mazey Eddings. You do not need to have read the other books on the series to fully enjoy this one. I could've even tell it was the third.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
I decided to drop this in the middle of a sex scene. I didn't like how it was being handled, and I could've just jumped ahead. But I realizedDNF @ 47%
I decided to drop this in the middle of a sex scene. I didn't like how it was being handled, and I could've just jumped ahead. But I realized I didn't really want to do that either. The two leads are so perfect for each other it's obvious true love will prevail, so the stakes were not high at all. The only real barrier to HEA was her ultra traditional mother. And I wasn't interested in seeing that play out when the mother was already so controlling and abusive. In other circumstances I very likely would have finished the book.
Things I loved: •Nigerian lead who is very competent at her career
•Male lead is absolutely perfect - respectful, kind and honest. Oh yeah, of course he's got be super hot too, but that's not why I loved him.
•She has a fully fleshed life besides her romance and her family! Actual details about the ad campaign she was running at her job were really fun.
•Extremely believable conversations with toxic people. Author deserves a hug, because it clearly comes from authentic experience.
Things I didn't love: •Everyone had PERFECT bodies. Not a single flaw, wobble, stray hair, stretch mark, or pimple. Probably zero chance of body odor, bad breath or smudged makeup either. When the leads are that perfect, and that perfection keeps being described in detail, it's freaking alienating. And perhaps an implied fat shaming, especially when her mother complains she's too skinny because you can see her collarbones. I really had to roll my eyes at that one. Author should read Talia Hibbett to see how sexy real people are.
•Pregnancy. I know, I know, it's the plot driver. But unplanned pregnancy is just not romantic at all to me.
•Terrible boundaries. Even with her friends and allies within her family, everyone bullies her into revealing more than she offers. It makes sense that her default is to be secretive and vague, to create a little space between herself and all of these interrogators. Even safe people can be intrusive. Hey Mother is absolutely not a safe person, she's a tyrant within her role, and everybody enables it, trying to sweet talk her into being reasonable. My hope is that issue of boundaries would have been the main victory in her character growth. This is another essential part of the story that I personally didn't care for, perhaps because it was (to me) so over the top that it wasn't believable.
•That sex scene. Oof. I've already mentioned the author's delight in describing how perfect their bodies are. And it was the main focus of the sex scene, objectifying our couple to such a degree that it felt wrong and creepy. The elements that make a sex scene work for me are consent, discovery, chemistry, and connection on many levels. Bonus points for humor and emotional vulnerability. All this had was chemistry, consent, and graphic descriptions of good looking people.
In conclusion, although romance is not my favorite genre, I could have really enjoyed this if the author had different priorities with her plot. But I'm sure this will appeal to others that aren't as picky as I am.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
Simply superb! Effortless Bipoc rep, memorable characters, and food to die for. Nearly perfect.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★Simply superb! Effortless Bipoc rep, memorable characters, and food to die for. Nearly perfect.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
THE HYPE IS REAL! I didn't just love this, I love-loved this, and so did my picky sweetheart.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� THE HYPE IS REAL! I didn't just love this, I love-loved this, and so did my picky sweetheart.
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
This was an incredible reading experience! Although I am a big Sanderson fan, I am keenly aware of ★★★★� PERFECT 5 STARS! Spoiler-free gush forthcoming
This was an incredible reading experience! Although I am a big Sanderson fan, I am keenly aware of his writing tics that are less than awesome. Here? None were present. This is, hands down, the best story Sanderson has ever written. And yes, I've read nearly everything he's ever written. Including the epic Stormlight Archive.
I could rave about so many things. The awesome gender equality rep. The self-awareness and willingness to poke fun at tropes. The whimsy and delightful sense of humor. The lovely examples of family and friendship. The Easter eggs for longtime Cosmere fans. The compassion. The themes and philosophies explored...
Just read it for yourself!
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GR Personal Rating System: ★★★★� 5 Stars ~ LOVED ★★★★� 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED ★★★☆� 3 Stars ~ LIKED ★★☆☆� 2 Stars ~ MEH ★☆☆☆� 1 Star ~ NOPE...more
This is a case where I'm awarding stars not for my personal pleasure, but for the sheer QUALITY of the message. Good job, Oseman!This is a case where I'm awarding stars not for my personal pleasure, but for the sheer QUALITY of the message. Good job, Oseman!...more
Heather-Lin
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