Intention: modern, mythical Atlantis meets Chicago? (The city, not the musical.) Execution: Shark Tale but with less depth.
I get what this book wantedIntention: modern, mythical Atlantis meets Chicago? (The city, not the musical.) Execution: Shark Tale but with less depth.
I get what this book wanted to be. There were moments when I felt like I could see the structure of what it could have been. But, unfortunately, none of those intentions ever felt realized for me.
Part of the issue may have been because the author simply wanted to do too many things. There were too many characters and creatures, the world-building needed to be scaled back a bit so that the reader could find their footing in the story. And instead, it just felt like a constant stream of random information that was expected to make you emotional.
On top of that, as the first line of this review indicates, the vibes were just not there for me. This is going to be super niche and an example of my Christian homeschooled upbringing, but if you've ever seen the Christian show Kingdom Under the Sea from 2003 - that's the energy I was getting. If that show had a baby with Shark Tale and Barbie in A Mermaid Tale, while somehow being incredibly boring and empty.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible book. I see the good in it. I just... think it could have been so much better....more
�...the passions of young girls are worth nurturing no matter how frivolous they may seem.�
What a pleasant surprise!
I was hesitant to pick this up at �...the passions of young girls are worth nurturing no matter how frivolous they may seem.�
What a pleasant surprise!
I was hesitant to pick this up at first, because this type of story doesn't usually appeal to me but after a few positive recs from people I trust, I decided to give it a try.
It's exactly what it promises to be: a romance novella with the plot of an aged-up boy-band fanfic. But it also has a lot of heart, which is surprising considering the page count. It doesn't shy away from the silliness of the plot, but asks why that silliness is something to be ashamed of - which I found lovely.
Unrelated to the story itself, but I'm always surprised when Jimmy Fallon or someone like that gets written into a story with actual dialogue. How does this work? Does one need Jimmy Fallon's permission before writing a scene where we have him interview a fictional boy-band member turned philanthropist clothing designer? Or can anyone just... use Jimmy Fallon's name in a story? Like if someone - hypothetically - wanted to write a reimagined Thumbelina where Jimmy Fallon inexplicably narrates the entire thing, how would they go about that?
Overall, this was fun and I'm glad I read it....more
“The only way you can let me down is if you started hiding who you are. You may think I bring out the best in you, but I'm only helping you see the ma“The only way you can let me down is if you started hiding who you are. You may think I bring out the best in you, but I'm only helping you see the man who is already there. The man I love.�
I really did intend on giving this a higher rating, but after what had to be the fiftieth time of me being incredibly grossed out... I realized any higher would be insincere.
I went into this with pretty high expectations because I really enjoyed The Kiss Countdown when I read it last month. It was fluffy and fun, with likeable characters and just enough weight to the story to keep me interested. In my review, I even mentioned the fact I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't get the ick from the story.
The Kiss Countdown didn't have the mmc (view spoiler)[ say, "10/10 would eat dehydrated pudding from your mouth again." (hide spoiler)] though, which is an obvious difference. (This line shows up in a love letter/journal entry meant for the fmc to read, it's in reference to him discovering new foods he likes, and even if it was joking, I don't want to read it <3)
My personal disgust aside, I also really disliked the romance in this book. From the very beginning, it sounds as if Brianna is much more interested in Roman than he is in her. Some of this is because he keeps his cards close to his chest, but it's also because a lot of their previous relationship was made up of silent interactions Brianna read into. I would say it takes 60% of the story for Roman to show any real interest in her, though she thinks they're already in a forbidden tryst.
The plot itself was okay, though it often felt like it was trying to heighten the very low stakes - which just made the stakes seem even lower. The dialogue was incredibly cringe-inducing, with the fmc seriously saying, "I may be delulu, but I'm delulu and happy." and "sure hope this doesn't awaken anything in me." at different points.
I will say, more than any other genre, I really do think romance comes down more to personal preference than anything else. The things that made this book really difficult for me to read, might work really well for someone else. I'm only listing my issues so that if you have the same ones, you can decide whether or not you want to give this one a try.
Overall, I appreciate what this book was trying to be, but it just let me down. While I wouldn't recommend this, I would definitely recommend you try out The Kiss Countdown if you're looking for a sweet romance book that delivers. ...more
Brief review because I just realized I forgot to this weekend.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the ability that certain authors have to creBrief review because I just realized I forgot to this weekend.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the ability that certain authors have to create such complex fantasy stories in the space of a novella will never cease to amaze me. This was no exception. Gripping from the first page and intriguing until the last. (Even though you might be able to guess where the plot is going, that doesn't stop the gut-punch once you actually reach it.)
This also had such a good message. I love when allegory is utilized the way it was in here and I've heard the series only goes deeper, so I can't wait to carry on. ...more
A nice palette cleanser after two heavy-ish reads.
I liked this one more than the first in the companion trilogy! I still had some of the same issues,A nice palette cleanser after two heavy-ish reads.
I liked this one more than the first in the companion trilogy! I still had some of the same issues, such as a lot of plot points not being as developed as I would've liked.
But! There was definitely more depth to this one and even though it can feel like insta-love, the characters' pre-existing feelings buffer that a bit.
Overall, not my favorite but still a good time. I'd recommend if you're looking for a Hallmark (with a bit of spice) type read....more
“I am the only storm that matters now, and there is no shelter from what I bring.�
Oh, you guys weren't kidding. This was good.
I went into this book wi“I am the only storm that matters now, and there is no shelter from what I bring.�
Oh, you guys weren't kidding. This was good.
I went into this book with very little information about the plot itself and I highly recommend doing that. The first chapter is one of the most gripping opening scenes of a book that I've ever read and though the rest of the book isn't quite as dramatic, it's never less interesting. (Except for a certain character's POV but that's beside the point.)
This was atmospheric, with rich world-building and a writing style that somehow managed to be both simplistic and chilling at once. I love fantasy books that discuss religion and prophecies and old gods, so this was right up my alley.
I also loved Serapio and Xiala. They were easily some of my favorite characters I've read about recently.
I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes. Highly recommend.
“We both find solace in the inevitability of broken girls.�
Absolutely incredible. I will never read this again. (I'm only mostly kidding.)
Being seriou“We both find solace in the inevitability of broken girls.�
Absolutely incredible. I will never read this again. (I'm only mostly kidding.)
Being serious, this book was fantastic and affecting in the most devastating way. Every word Rivers Solomon writes feels like a beautifully crafted sledgehammer to the chest - which may not sound like a compliment, but I promise it is.
I expected to appreciate this after The Deep was one of my favorite reads last year, but I wasn't expecting the fully body affect this book had on me from the first page.
This is a haunting, immersive book that deals with so many topics. Each one is handled in a way that makes the reader feel bone-deep empathy, even if they haven't experienced those things themselves.
On a related note, going into this book, the reader knows it's not going to be a light read. However, this book deals with heavier topics than some (even within the genre) and I recommend looking up the TWs on Storygraph before reading. I felt they were handled with care, but they were also not danced around which can make them more triggering for some people. That doesn't mean I think it should be avoided. For example: Model Home deals with a topic I usually avoid and despite the fact it was still incredibly difficult to read about, I'm glad I didn't skip this one because this book was healing in ways I wasn't expecting.
If you are at a place to read this, I really do recommend it. It's not the kind of read that will be for everyone, due to the poetic, stream-of-consciousness writing style and the focus on dysfunctional family dynamics. However, I truly think this is the kind of book that was perfect at what it needed to be.
I know this book (and the many paragraphs I highlighted) will stay with me for a long time. ...more
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