Tag: Book Review

Probably the Best Kiss in the World by Pernille Hughes – #eARC #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Goodreads: Probably the Best Kiss in the World
Publish date: 12 April 2019
Publisher: Harper Impulse and Killer Reads
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit
Panda Rating:

Jen Attison likes her life Just So. But being fished out of a canal in Copenhagen by her knickers is definitely NOT on her to do list. From cinnamon swirls to a spontaneous night of laughter and fireworks, Jen’s city break with the girls takes a turn for the unexpected because of her gorgeous, mystery rescuer. Back home, Jen faces a choice. A surprise proposal from her boyfriend, ‘boring’ Robert has offered Jen the safety net she always thought she wanted. But with the memories of her Danish adventure proving hard to forget, maybe it’s time for Jen to stop listening to her head and start following her heart…

I’m on the fence with how I feel about this one because there were obviously things that I really enjoyed but also things I strongly disliked, and I”m not sure which one is winning my feelings right now. I’m ngl, the cover is what had me picking this book up because the colors are fun and the design is super cute. It gives me cozy vibes and to an extent that does match with the contents of the book. I also love the title!  The story and the romance wasn’t anything new, and wasn’t entirely unpredictable, but I liked the setting and the general storyline. Minor spoiler alert for the content ahead as there’s a part of the storyline that I’m just never going to get on board with and that’s cheating. But first, let’s start with what I liked.

Likes:

I really enjoyed the banter between Jen and Yacob and their meet-cute was, well, cute. I thought they were good together and I really wish that the story of how they met was different. I think the side characters really stole the show for me. Lydia, the MC’s sister was a daredevil and go-getter who didn’t let her disability hold her back in anyway. She was feisty and full of humour and I kind of wished that the story was about her. Alice and Max were also great supporting characters and their shop sounded really cool. It would also be remiss of me to not mention the hot Danish man! Yacob was honestly the perfect package — smart, handsome, compassionate, and caring. I love how he was so supportive of Jen’s passion and always encouraged her to never give up. Can has Yacob in my life, plz? Another thing I loved was loved Jen’s passion — The Passion. Jen’s enthusiasm and love for brewing and beer shone strongly through the words of the text and it was wonderful to experience. I can absolutely relate because reading is something I’m super passionate about and when you really love something, it shines through. I’m glad she stood up for what she loved to do and didn’t give it up (for a man no less!) and I enjoyed that she didn’t let the fact that she was one of the few women who brew, stop her from winning. Go girl!

Dislikes:

Cheating. As someone who has been cheated on, I don’t support characters who do this for whatever reason and it’s always gonna be a turn off, and it’s enough to make books lose stars. Despite knowing that it would be wrong and claiming that she isn’t a cheater, the MC went and did it anyway. I personally thought she had absolutely no good reason to do what she did and it was inexcusable. She had every out, especially with everyone telling her the fiancé shouldn’t be her fiancé, and because even her subconscious was rebelling against the engagement! I just wish she would’ve been honest. Admittedly, I also wasn’t the biggest fan of Jen, especially at the start. She was obstinate and overbearing, especially with her sister and especially when it came to beer. It’s one thing to have an opinion but it’s another to be as rude with it as she was.

Although the story wasn’t what I expected, especially the beer part, I’m glad that I did read it. Parts of it were cute, but overall, it wasn’t anything new to me or the romance genre. I wish that there wasn’t any cheating but, oh well. One thing I do know is that now I want to drink all the craft beers I can get my hands on!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is now available in stores!
Have you read Probably the Best Kiss in the World? What’d you think of it?
Come let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

ARC Review: Elma: A Bear’s Life by Ingrid Chabbert

Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Special thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads: Elma: A Bear’s Life: The Great Journey (Vol. 1)
Publish date: 17 July 2019
Publisher: Europe Comics
Genre: Children’s Fiction, Graphic Novel

Rating:

Elma is a joyful, free-spirited child who is being raised by her father. But Papa Bear is hiding a secret, and the close-knit duo must make a long and perilous journey to begin a mysterious new life beyond the forest. Adventure and danger are in store as they discover the secrets of Elma’s past and future.

Um, OKAY. How dare this graphic novel end on such a cliffhanger!? Nooo… I want to know what happens to Elma and Papa Bear! Do they make it?! Where are they going? Is he bringing her back home? Why is the fores seemingly conspiring to take Elma away from Papa Bear? SO MANY QUESTIONS! I kind of feel a little bit like Elma right now because the curiosity and need for answers is strong!

I adored this graphic novel. First of all, that cover is a wonderful representation of the stunning art work that you’ll find inside the pages. The colours are autumnal, so they’re warm and very comforting. I could seriously just look at the pages all day because the work is beautiful, and I enjoyed that there was limited dialogue so it didn’t detract from the art. This is targeted at children, however, at one point Elma does lose all her clothes and her full body (including genitalia) can be seen. It’s one scene and then she’s covered up again in the next. I don’t think it was done distastefully, but I just thought I’d leave a warning anyway.

I found the start of the storyline just as enjoyable as the art. It obviously has “Jungle Book” vibes (of course, abandoned child in forest raised by an animal that’s meant to be a predator) and although I admittedly am not the biggest fan of that story (don’t hate me), I really enjoyed this one! I’m a little sad this was only the first volume/chapter, as reading the blurb led me to think it might be the full story. Still, I’m glad I stumbled across it because so far it’s a sweet story, although it does raise many questions I hope will be answered in the next volume!

The relationship between Elma and Papa Bear was very sweet, and you can feel through their dialogue, interactions and the art that they really care for and love each other like father/daughter. Elma is full of life and so much sass and Papa Bear is this big calming force looking out for her. I love a story where animals can talk and this was definitely no exception! I thought their story really fit with the art work because it effused the same warmth the colours in the art work gave me. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on more of this graphic novel and I would 100% add this to my physical shelf because it’s beautiful book and the story is shaping up to be too!

Have you read Elma: A Bear’s Life or is it on your TBR?
What are some of your favourite graphic novels?

A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins – #eARC #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Goodreads: A Random Act of Kindness
Publish date: 13 June 2019
Publisher: Avon Books UK
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit
Panda Rating:

It only takes a moment, to change a life for ever…
Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her. Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing. But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life. Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?

This was a fairly easy, fast and fluffy read. It’s a heartwarming romance about finding yourself, learning to stand on your own two feet, letting go of fears and opening up your heart. It was an enjoyable, sometimes funny read that left me feeling content when I finished it.

I liked Fern’s character and her passion for fashion (specifically her vintage wear). She’s very focused on making other people happy by finding them the perfect fit to ‘lift’ them as she’s a strong believer that how you dress yourself can change how you think and feel. However, she faces a lot of insecurities and really puts herself down mostly because of her parents (particularly her mother who, frankly, was really awful). While she was very tolerant and understanding of her mother who treated her so badly, I do wish that Fern had the strength to stand up for herself.

I wish that we got to learn more about David. As Fern’s love interest, I felt he fell a bit flat. We don’t really get to know him other than he’s quirky, quite serious and maybe even boring, and that he’s got model handsome good looks. I liked his character but wished that he was given more dimension.

There are a lot of characters and I sometimes felt myself getting confused at how they were being introduced and how they’d suddenly appear in Fern’s life, however, I ended up really looking the eclectic bunch and I think Jenkins did a good job of including characters of all ages, genders and sexualities. For the most part everyone was also friendly, maybe sometimes almost perfectly so, but it really added to the ‘feel-good’ quality of the story. I also really enjoyed how the fashion was mixed into the story, although it was difficult for me to picture the clothes because I’m not that big on fashion; so I will say if you’re not interested in the stuff, it might not be for you.

[MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD]

One thing that I didn’t particularly understand was why we got Kim’s POV instead of Dinah’s. I understand that Fern really made a big impact on Kim’s life and that he was the reason the big show happened at the end. However, it felt a little bit random to me because so much of the story revolved around Dinah and Fern. I liked how everyone came together and became friends because of Fern, however, I felt a little unsure about Kim’s chapters and (sorry but) I didn’t feel it really added a whole lot to the story. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is now available in stores!
Have you read A Random Act of Kindness? What’d you think of it?
Come let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

Sparrowhawk #1 by Delilah S. Dawson – #ARC #GraphicNovel #Review

Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

Goodreads: Sparrowhawk #1
Publish date: 20 August 2019
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Comic
Rating:

Teen Victorian fairy fight club! As the illegitimate daughter of a Naval Captain, Artemesia has never fit in with her father’s family, nor the high class world to which they belong. However, when she is targeted by the Faerie Queen and pulled into another realm, she has no choice but to try and save the world that has always hated her. Writer Delilah S. Dawson (Hellboy: An Assortment of Horror, Star Wars: Forces of Destiny) and artist Matias Basla (The Claw and Fang) present a beautiful, gripping tale perfect for fans of Labyrinth and Princeless. 

Sparrowhawk is a fast paced, well drawn comic. The artwork is full of bold colors although the style itself is not one that I’m usually drawn to or prefer. That said, I thought it suited the strangeness of this story. I liked the artwork on the chapter/title pages more than I did the artwork throughout the comic, but I loved the contrast of the colorful against the brutal, gruesome and dark faerie world story. The plot itself reminded me of elements of Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland, which the author also mentioned as her inspiration in the afterword.

I found the story interesting. Artemesia is the daughter of a colonizer and a slave woman who grew up in a family that was cruel and didn’t want her. After being forced into a situation she doesn’t want to be in, Art finds herself being pulled into the faerie realm, having been replaced by the Faerie Queen in her world. In faerie, Art meets a demonic bunny (reminiscent of the cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland) who makes a pact to help her get back home, in exchange for one of Art’s memories. Art must go through faerie slaying monstrosities in order to get back home, and along the way she encounters both the good and evil creatures of faerie, including the gentle faerie prince, whom she falls in love with. How far will she go to get back home?

Art was a strong willed character who was fiercely determined to go home. Her transformation from a thoughtful human, to a monster who enjoys killing as much as any unseelie, was disturbing. It begs the question: how far would you go to do what you think is right, even if it turns you into someone who you don’t like. The side characters were all very interesting as well and although he was an evil, twisted thing I really enjoyed the demonic bunny’s character.

I liked the sinister vibes of the ending and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next and how Art will deal with the repercussions of her actions.

Thanks to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for providing the e-ARC for an honest review.
Have you read Sparrowhawk? Loved it? Hated it? Meh about it? Come let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Goodreads: The Poet X
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Poetry
Rating:

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent. 

An honest and beautiful book written in a unique format about a young woman finding herself and her place a world that tells her she’s too much or not enough through the art of spoken word poetry. Would 100% recommend listening to the audiobook while following along with the book!

This was my first time reading a novel in this format, poetry, and while it made it a really unique, enjoyable and fast read, I also felt a little disconnected to many of the characters, except Xiomara. Of course, this was her story. Her thoughts and emotions come through very strongly through Acevedo’s writing and what made me appreciate the style more was listening to it being read by the author on audiobook (which I followed along to with the physical book). The author herself is a spoken word poet and I loved that this was the something that Xiomara was so passionate about. Following Xio’s journey of finding herself through poetry, navigating first love with Aman, maintaining the close bond with her twin Xavier and her best friend Caridad, and dealing with the tumultuous relationship with her extremely pious mother was a very intimate experience.

“And I think about all the things we could be if we were never told our bodies were not built for them.” 

There are a lot of issues tackled within this story and considering it’s told in verse, I thought that they were explored well. Xiomara is a very empowering, driven and smart character who was trying so hard to find her place and where she fit in a society where she has been over sexualized and objectified, and made to feel not good enough. She has for so long let her fists do her talking for her until the day she discovers slam poetry. The way she slowly comes to understand how she sees the world, where she fits in the world, and grows to find beauty in her skin through the power of spoken word poetry is so very beautiful.

“When has anyone ever told me
I had the right to stop it all
without my knuckles, or my anger,
with just some simple words.”

That said, I found the ending quite rushed. After the big incident at her house where the story reached a very heartbreaking and infuriating climax, I thought the issues between Xio and her mother were resolved very quickly and not in a very satisfying way. I was hoping for it to be hashed out a bit more, and although we experience some of the process, it felt like a “too clean” resolution; especially when the tension and misunderstanding was so high, only for everything to be good again in a short time. Especially when this conflict between the two women was such a big part of the story. I wished we’d gotten to really see how Xiomara and her mother came to terms with their vast differences because what happened between them was big and slightly frightening. While I love a happy ending (and maybe I’m just too jaded for saying this lol) this was such a picture perfect one that it felt a little unrealistic.

“I only know that learning to believe in the power of my own words has been the most freeing experience of my life. It has brought me the most light. And isn’t that what a poem is? A lantern glowing in the dark.” 

Another thing that disappointed me just a little was that we never got to see the poem that she recited at the final show. This is just my gripe but I was so excited to read what she spoke about and I was honestly really sad that we didn’t get to experience it.

“Late into the night I write and the pages of my notebook swell from all the words I’ve pressed onto them. 
It almost feels like the more I bruise the page the quicker something inside me heals.” 

Overall though, this was a beautifully told story and I think it’s one that many young women who don’t feel comfortable in their skin, or who are still looking for a way to fit in as they are, will be able to relate to and feel empowered by. Did I mention that this was extremely quotable? I’m very keen to read more from Acevedo!

Have you read The Poet X? Loved it? Hated it? Felt ‘meh’ about it?
Leave me a comment below and let’s chat!

The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Goodreads: The Surface Breaks
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Rating:

Deep beneath the sea, off the cold Irish coast, Gaia is a young mermaid who dreams of freedom from her controlling father. On her first swim to the surface, she is drawn towards a human boy. She longs to join his carefree world, but how much will she have to sacrifice? What will it take for the little mermaid to find her voice? Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy tale is reimagined through a searing feminist lens, with the stunning, scalpel-sharp writing and world building that has won Louise her legions of devoted fans. A book with the darkest of undercurrents, full of rage and rallying cries: storytelling at its most spellbinding.

A dark feminist fairytale retelling of the beloved Little Mermaid. If you’re expecting something like the Disney movie, you’ve definitely picked up the wrong book! O’Neill’s writing hooked me (hah) from the start and had me rooting for the character I least expected!

Here is another Rusalka made. Another human woman set on fire by an insatiable man, needing to swallow the sea so she can douse the flames in her heart. She will lament her fate for the next three hundred years. She will sing sailors to their graves for her vengeance. And despite everything that I have been told about the Salkas, despite the fact that they killed my Uncle Manannán and drove my mother into the arms of the Sea King, I would not blame her.

Well, this book was certainly not what I expected. Growing up, I had always loved the Little Mermaid best out of all the Disney movies. The music was fun, Ariel was beautiful, her voice was magical and of course, Prince Eric was handsome (dat smile tho)! Even as an adult I still enjoy the movie – mostly for the music, but also for the nostalgia of those childhood days. I had never read the original Hans Christian Anderson story though, but thanks to a circulating Buzzfeed article on the original stories behind Disney classics, I knew it was dark. So when I started this book, I had that half in mind, but also the Disney version I love so much. Still, I don’t think I was ready for how dark this retelling would be!

Louise O’Neill paints a bleak story of a radically patriarchal kingdom of merfolk, where mermaids are meant as mere things that obey the every word of mermen and that whatever the merman says, goes. As Gaia escapes this oppressive world she has grown up in, she comes to find that in the human world, women are also ignored and thought of as weak creatures who are only appreciated by men for their looks and “open legs”. It was instilled by her father, the Sea King, that women are only good for their beauty and their ability to obey and be quiet, so it is no surprise that she believes the same of men on the surface. Sadly, it is this that gets the boulder rolling downhill, leading to the dire situation she finds herself in as the book progresses. It is a stark allegory of our society and I think extremely relevant, especially considering the rising discourse today. How far we have to go on that front…

She’s crazy, we used to say about maids in the kingdom who pursued mer-men relentlessly… I’m beginning to wonder that if, when we call a woman crazy, we should take a look at the man by her side, and guess at what he has done to drive her to insanity.

When I read that this was a feminist retelling of the classic I was wondering what that’d look like and the further I read, the more I appreciated how O’Neill weaved the feminist conversation into the story. The oft-repeated female trope of pitting women against each other is also present in the story, perpetrated by Gaia and other female characters against her; no surprise, considering how much men/masculinity is revered in ‘their’ world. Gaia wasn’t a very convincing feminist main character for a good portion of the book and only grew into it at the very end. She spent the majority of the story blinded to the reality that she seemed to recognize was wrong, only to push it aside because of her desperation to make a man-boy love her. It was a little frustrating but there’s no denying that O’Neill did a great job of capturing the restlessness and naïveté of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood. That said, I do wish that there was more of an ending. I felt like the climax and the conclusion were one and the same, so just as I thought we’d see more fight and fierce-woman action from Gaia, the story ended. It was rushed and a little unsatisfying. So much of the story was filled with pining for a boy, a failed love story in a sense, and the story only began to strengthen when the Sea Witch, Ceto, reappeared at the end. Who, by the way, ended up being my favorite character in this book!

“Your religion should help you make the decision if you find yourself in that situation, but the policy should exist for you to have the right to make it in the first place. 
When you say you can’t do something because your religion forbids it, that’s a good thing. When you say I can’t do something because YOUR religion forbids it, that’s a problem.”

Although she went about it in her characteristically evil way, and yes, it was wrong… Ceto was actually empowering and I feel she was the only “true feminist” of the whole book. If O’Neill made a book about Ceto, I’d definitely read it!

Overall, this book really took me by surprise. It was a fairly quick but enjoyable read (even though it had big text which I’m not a fan of, yes I’m one of those people that like small text!). The story certainly didn’t shy away from the brutality and anger, but also the passion, strength and love that make this society. Alas, the cute Disney love story was eclipsed by one of the desperate longing of a confused girl filled with wanderlust, who has spent her lifetime searching for answers and fighting all she has known to find her true self. The Little Mermaid will certainly never be the same again.

Also, MAJOR COVER APPRECIATION! Not only are the colors and the details in the artwork of the sleeve beautifully done but the naked cover of the hardback is just as beautiful too with a scale design. Every time my eye passes over where it sits on my bookshelf I just want to pick it up and stare at it because it’s so gorgeous!

Have you read The Surface Breaks? Loved it? Hated it? Felt ‘meh’ about it? Leave me a comment below and let’s chat!

Book Review: A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Goodreads: A Spark of Light
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication Date: 03 October 2018
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

(4 pandas)

When Vonita opened the doors of the Center that morning, she had no idea that it would be for the last time.

Wren has missed school to come to the Center, the sole surviving women’s reproductive health clinic in the state, chaperoned by her aunt, Bex. Olive told Peg she was just coming for a check-up. Janine is undercover, a pro-life protester disguised as a patient. Joy needs to terminate her pregnancy. Louie is there to perform a service for these women, not in spite of his faith, but because of it.

When a desperate and distraught gunman bursts into the Center, opening fire and taking everyone hostage, Hugh McElroy is the police negotiator called to the scene. He has no idea that his fifteen-year-old daughter is inside.

Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.

TL;DR: Powerful, moving and makes you reflect on your opinions. It’s easy to read but not an easy read due to the topics (mainly abortion). Jodi Picoult manages to tackle another controversial, but highly relevant, issue through A Spark of Light without taking sides or pointing fingers, it’s up to you to form your own opinion on the matter.

CW/TW: abortion, gun violence, hostage situation

There’s a reason that Jodi Picoult has been one of my favourite authors ever since I discovered her books in high school. She manages to tackle incredibly controversial topics through her stories, all without pointing fingers or taking sides. If you ever feel like maybe she’s trying to sway you in a certain direction, that thought will go flying out the window in the next paragraph or chapter as she writes from an opposing POV. Through the extensive research that you can tell goes into each book she writes, she manages to lay out contrasting opinions that makes the reader really think and consider their own opinions. It’s such an incredible talent and I applaud her ability to do it time and again.

“We are all drowning slowly in the tide of our opinions, oblivious that we are taking on water every time we open our mouths.”

With A Spark of Light, Picoult took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. There’s an edition of the book that’s covered in bright pastel colours which stands in stark contrast with the content of the book. While her simple and compelling writing style makes it an easy read, the topics that she covers (abortion, gun violence, race and class issues, parenthood) most definitely are not. It’s been a while since I read one of her books, but I have to admit that some parts relating to abortion did get very graphic, so read with care.

The story was told in reverse chronological order so that our first glimpse of the characters occurs after the shooting and hostage situation. As we go back in time by the hour to the start of the event, the reader is thrown into a story filled with high tension, and the pacing continues fairly quickly throughout. We get a glimpse into each of the characters’ lives, with detailed backstories of how they came to be at the Clinic, and I thought they were all well developed. With the way this is told, I admit that I was pretty confused by all the character POVs at the start, especially since they’re mentioned as if we should already be familiar with them. I did go back and forth a few times to make sure that I was remembering characters and events correctly and it made me wonder if the story would’ve been more compelling had it been told in chronological order.

“She had come to the clinic because she didn’t want to be a little girl anymore. But it wasn’t having sex that made you a woman. It was having to make decisions, sometimes terrible ones. Children were told what to do. Adults made up their own minds, even when the options tore them apart.”

There was one character POV that I know was pretty important to the story but at the same time, I wasn’t really sure if it was necessary? I don’t know how to explain what I mean without giving spoilers but… While it was interesting to see how certain characters were surprisingly connected through this particular storyline, in the end, it was left unresolved/hanging so I wasn’t really sure what to make of it.

“Your religion should help you make the decision if you find yourself in that situation, but the policy should exist for you to have the right to make it in the first place. 
When you say you can’t do something because your religion forbids it, that’s a good thing. When you say I can’t do something because YOUR religion forbids it, that’s a problem.”

What I think makes this story even more powerful is that, although it’s based in the United States and discusses US policies (that I personally don’t know much about), it’s still 100% relatable and especially relevant to all (women and men) who read it. This book had me hunched over and doing something that I never do in books, which is to write in them (!!!), but there I was underlining countless passages because of how much it resonated with me and made me think about my own ideas opinions on the subject(s). Plz don’t judge me too harshly right now lol

So why didn’t I give this five stars? I wished that some sections would’ve been shorter and that certain storylines could’ve been revisited in more detail. I felt that the ending was rushed and left slightly unresolved, as I still had many unanswered questions about certain events and characters. All said though, Picoult is truly a wonder with words. I highly recommend this one!

Have you read A Spark of Light or is it on your TBR?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

#WWWWednesday: 07 August

Dini @ dinipandareads14 Comments

It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

What did you read last?

So you know how I said in my last post that my group read for A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult probably wasn’t happening anymore? Well, coincidentally after I posted someone revived the group chat and I had to rush this read, but it was very easy to speed through. I’ve loved Jodi Picoult since I discovered her in high school so I’m very comfortable with her writing style — the detailed research that goes into her work is very obvious but she also knows how to tug on your heart strings! This wasn’t an easy read due to the topics that were covered, mainly abortion, but it was very well done. My review is coming up right after this! 😉

What are you currently reading?

So… This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel was supposed to be another group read in July, but for some reason I just kept pushing it back. I actually started it on Sunday night, while the discussion was supposed to take place Monday morning (for my time zone), so I did miss the group chat and as it turns out, I’m really struggling to get through this book. It’s not because I don’t like it. I am enjoying it but there’s something about the writing style that is making me struggle to pick it up again after putting it down for work and life things. I like the characters; Poppy is so precious, Penn is my favorite fairytale spinning and magic loving dad, and it makes my heart hurt (in a good way!) and soar when her brothers support her 100%. They’re a beautiful and incredibly sweet family although by no means are they perfect. STILL, I’m struggling to get through this. I’m so tempted to pick up something else but I have a feeling that if I do, I’ll never finish this 🥺

What will you read next?

In the spirit of kicking off ARC August well into the second week of the month (I’ve always been late for everything so of course it extends to my book life too), I’m hoping to read at least two of these by the end of this week! Let’s see how I manage because right now, it’s looking like a bit of a stay in struggle town. Yikes! …Oh no, this isn’t the makings of a book slump is it?! 😩

What are you currently reading? How do you deal with an impending book slump?! Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂

The Consequence of Falling by Claire Contreras – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Goodreads: The Consequence of Falling
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating:

The list of things I hate is short. Not even my soon-to-be ex-husband is on that list. Nope. I save only the worst of the worst, the crème de la crème, the absolute I cannot even for this list . . . 
1. Black coffee 
2. Rude people 
3. Nathaniel Bradley 
Which is why when my father informs me that he’s making Nathaniel Bradley his new business partner, and in turn, my boss, I flip out. 
1. He’s an annoying know-it-all. 
2. He calls me a spoiled princess every chance he gets. 
3. He disapproves of everything I do. 
I go into this knowing I’ll hate every second in his presence. Except the longer he’s around, the more I find myself staring at his lips and remembering the one time they were on mine. I randomly find myself looking at his hands and wondering how they’d feel on my skin. I try to snap out of it, but I guess I’m not as smart as I thought I was. No matter how many times I remind myself of the times I’ve practically thrown myself at him and he’s pushed me away, I keep falling little by little.  I’d always heard that it was a bad idea to mix business with pleasure and if that’s the case, this thing with Nathaniel has demise written all over it. 

The build up in (sexual) tension between these two enemies was real in this one *fans self* but the characters could’ve used more depth and the story could’ve been much shorter (for what it was)!

I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance. It’s one of my favorite tropes! So, I was obviously keen to start this one, but I found that some of the issues outside of the romance made me feel a little ‘meh’ about it. But before getting into that, let me start with the good. This was a pretty fast paced romance. Presley appears as this spoiled brat on the surface (and well, she kind of is a little) but she also deals with a lot of insecurities which I could relate to. Nathaniel is your typical brooding love interest and he played the part well. The romance and banter between the characters was sweet and funny, and the sexual chemistry between them was really off the charts. This one definitely had the fans-self-steamy-scenes (lol) in the latter half of the novel! The story is told mostly through Presley’s POV with some very short chapters told by Nathaniel here and there, but I think it would’ve been so much better to have alternating chapters for both characters.

Now… for the parts that I didn’t really like. Minor spoilers(maybe?) and also, it might be a rant (sorry)!

Presley experiences a lot of sexism in the workplace from her father, Nathaniel and almost all the other men at the brewery. She was continuously kept out of discussions and meetings relating to the company because she was a woman. (Well, that was actually never stated outright but it’s what Presley thought and experienced). As these situations continued to happen, I really thought the author would have Presley’s character do something to prove that she had her shit together and that she could play in the same field as these men even though she was a woman, but that never happened! She just kept letting herself feel defeated and not doing anything about it. She claimed she wanted to learn but she never actively asked for help or showed people what she was capable of by taking initiative! It was very frustrating! Along the same lines, she kept getting annoyed with Nathaniel because he was always coming around and “reminding” her what work needed doing and she would always say she could handle the work herself, but then ended up doing nothing and let Nathaniel take care of everything. 🤦🏻‍♀️

It was also irritating that Presley kept finding things to get angry at Nathaniel over and continued to nitpick every little thing unnecessarily. Like, you’re already with the guy, it’s so clear that you’re in love with him, so why do you have to keep finding issues with him? I understand there’s a complicated back story to the characters and Presley has a lot of insecurities, but after Nathaniel proved himself time and again, I just got frustrated by her immaturity (despite wanting to be/seem mature) and seeming inability to grow up!

So, in the end though, if you can look past these things, it wasn’t a terrible romance. I’m torn between 2.5 or 3 stars (it’s rounded up on Goodreads)! While the characters aren’t wholly unlikable, I wanted more depth and development, which would’ve justified the book being as long as it was. This was my first read of Claire Contreras’ books, and while it wasn’t the biggest hit, I’m curious enough to see what other books she’s written!

Have you read The Consequences of Falling?
FYI: If you want to pick it up and have Kindle Unlimited, it’s on there!
Leave me a comment and let’s chat!

Book Review: That Second Chance by Meghan Quinn

Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

Goodreads: That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1)
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication Date: 07 May 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating:

(4 pandas)

It was supposed to be an innocent night, celebrating my brother’s birthday. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. We’d vowed to be on our best behavior after all . . .
But it only took one rowdy night with my brothers to flip my world upside down. One unlucky encounter saddled us with a family curse and the promise of doomed relationships. I laughed it off immediately. “Yeah, right,” I thought. “A love curse. Ha!” Boy, was I wrong.

Word spreads quickly in a town like mine; rumors about that night soon made us the most eligible yet untouchable bachelors in Port Snow, Maine. As a subject of endless gossip and speculation, I could kiss my dating life goodbye. It would have stayed that way if Ren Winters, the new girl in town, hadn’t crashed into my life. Brave, beautiful, and smart—her vivacious thirst for a fresh start has given me hope that maybe, just maybe, I can have one too. Everyone wishes for that second chance . . . but could this really be mine?

A funny and sweet story about second chances, featuring a hilariously embarrassing family full of meddlers, and a picturesque town that sweeps you off your feet!

This is a perfect light and fluffy romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud several times! Although I was initially wary what with the ‘love curse’, I’m glad that I kept on with it because it was exactly what I was looking for! The story is told through alternating POVs between Griffin and Ren and I really liked both of their characters. They have an almost immediate connection but thanks to Griffin’s wariness with the curse, they build a strong friendship before anything romantic happens. Their banter was so cute and sweet and gave me all the warm fuzzies (like stupid grin on face and giggles fuzzies). The build up in sexual tension was also great. There are some steamy scenes but the more explicit ones are minimal (I think there are two).

The best part of the book for me was the Knightly family though; especially the relationship between the four brothers who were all so sweet and funny. It was so refreshing to see how they all wore their hearts on their sleeves and how supportive and invested they were of Griffin’s love life (enough to meddle and boy, did they ever! It was too funny). They were genuinely good guys! Can I also say how cute and picturesque this town sounds? What with an adorable gift shop, pastel colored decorations dotting the town, and a lighthouse amongst other small-town landmarks? I love stories that involve small towns and this one basically had me wanting to move there myself!

Now let’s be real. Was it predictable? Yes, it was. But sometimes you just really need a good, easy read that makes you feel happy and hopeful, and this ticked all the boxes! Being even more real with you, I actually picked this up because of the guy on the cover (omg), so I’m really happy that I ended up loving this! I’m so looking forward to the reading the rest of the series and seeing how all the brothers defeat the ‘love curse’. I’m particularly excited about Rogan because he’s the “brooding brother” (weakness!) and I’m so curious to learn more about his back story!

Have you read That Second Chance or is it on your TBR?