It’s time for another Top 5 Saturday, a weekly meme created by Mandy @ Devouring Books and this week’s topic is: summer reads. For most of the western hemisphere, summer has come and has either gone or is slowly being eclipsed by cooler breezes and brisker climes as autumn/fall comes in. Lucky for me, I live in the tropics so summer is pretty much a year-round deal (I admit to being a little jealous of the cooler climes because I LOVE fall weather)! Last month, I did a Friday Favorites: Summer Reads post where I focused on the genres I liked to read poolside: Romance, Thrillers, and YA SFF. For this post, I thought I’d specifically look at the top five summer romance reads that are sitting high on my TBR!
Say You Still Love Me by K. A. Tucker I’ve heard so many good things about Say You Still Love Me and its second-chance romance. I’ve heard it’s done really well, so I’m excited to check it out! I read my first Tucker book, The Simple Wild, last month and I absolutely adored it. I fell in love with the beautiful setting and while some characters took some time to grow on me, all of them eventually stole my heart!
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren I don’t think any summer would be complete without a book by Christina Lauren. They do romances so well and have written so many stories and characters I love! The Unhoneymooners has been all over everyone’s blogs and booksta feeds full of praise and love for the characters. I don’t know why I’ve been sitting on this one, but being set in Hawaii, it seems like the perfect summer read!
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman What could be better than reading about a character who’s just as much of a bookworm as you are? This has been another very hyped read over the summer and many have loved it! I can’t wait to see if I’m one of them, and I’m keen to find out just how much of myself I’ll see in Nina’s character.
The Mother Road by Meghan Quinn Maybe it’s a little cliche but so many summer adventures start with people setting off on a road trip, so why not read a romance with a quirky family and a crazy but hilarious sounding road trip? I’ve only read two books by Meghan Quinn but have loved them both, and this one sounds really cute and fun!
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes This is another book that I’ve seen on everyone’s bookstagram feeds over the summer and it sounds like the perfect ‘starting-over’ summer read about second chances (in life and love) and I can’t wait to read it (maybe by next summer? Lol)!
What are your top five summer reads?Any of these Please leave me some recommendations in the comments below!
Goodreads:The Simple Wild Publisher: Atria Books Publication Date: 07 August 2018 Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Rating: (4.5 pandas)
Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Callaās father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that itās time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born. She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasionalādear Godāouthouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she canāt help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonahāthe quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her fatherās charter plane company operationalācanāt imagine calling anywhere else home. And heās clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that sheās too pampered to handle the wild. Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. As time passes, she unexpectedly finds herself forming a bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, itās replaced by friendshipāor perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents triedāand failed atāyears ago. Itās a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.
If you’re like a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance, with a bit of family drama & a few ‘finding yourself & learning about forgiveness’ moments, all set in a beautiful Alaska, then this is for you!
The Simple Wild was a heartwarming, beautifully romantic story set in the Alaskan wild. I don’t know what it is about me and Alaska, but I’ve been low key obsessed with (the idea of) it since I read a book set there a few years ago. Yes, some books romanticize it, and to an extent this was one, but I’m not blinded to the harsh reality Alaskan life. BUT I DIGRESS! I just wanted to say that this book made me fall even more in love with the simple, terrifying, harsh and beautiful place that is Alaska.
What can I say about The Simple Wild other than I loved it?! I’ve already shared how much I love the setting, but the characters and their stories also quickly grew on me. I’ll admit that I wasn’t Calla’s biggest fan at the start. She was a spoiled and entitled millennial who thought life didn’t exist without the internet, and who wouldn’t stop spouting about how expensive everything in her luggage was. It became eye-roll inducing at one point. That said, her character growth was so satisfying to witness! It wasn’t exactly a quick adjustment, but I loved that she slowly let her city girl go, and slowly found her place in the close-knit community in Bangor. If there’s one thing I learned from reading stories set in Alaska, it’s that community and the support you get from it, is a big part of surviving up there. It was great to see her finally realize that it is possible to survive without a full face of makeup and access to internet 24/7. I also enjoyed how her relationship with Wren, her father, also grew and healed. Calla felt a lot of resentment, insecurity and abandonment issues because of his decision to stay in Alaska and her childhood without him, but it was so heartwarming to see both of them let their guards down and be open with each other about their feelings. I’m so glad that they were able to build up their relationship and form a touching father-daughter bond, despite many years of not talking or seeing each other. Wren and Calla’s mother’s story was so bittersweet and heartbreaking.
Then we come to the love interest. Jonah was your typical grumpy mountain man, full with Yeti-styled fashion, with the biggest, warmest heart underneath! He was an absolute cinnamon roll and everyone who told me that I’d love him was SPOT ON! Damn those sky cowboys and their ability to steal your heart! I LOVED the relationship between Calla and Jonah! It was sweet and their progression from enemies-to-lovers was just SO GOOD. The build up was well-paced and wholly satisfying. I loved that Jonah wasn’t afraid to tell it like it is, no matter how difficult it was for Calla to hear. He had zero issues putting her in her place, especially at the start, but I liked that he was also able to admit to his faults if he did wrong. Their banter was hilarious and when she did *that thing* in revenge, I was breathless with laughter; especially because it also resulted in a great ice-breaking moment between Calla and Wren! On the heat scale, I would say this book is on a 2-3 out of 5. There was one mildly explicit sex scene, with other shorter steamier moments, but not much.
āUp here it’s about having enough food to eat, and enough heat to stay alive through the winter. It’s about survival, and enjoying the company of the people that surround us. It’s not about whose house is the biggest, or who has the nicest clothes, or the most money. We support each other because we’re all in this together. And people either like that way of life or they don’t…āĀ
The reason why I took off half a star was because I felt the end was wrapped up so quickly! It obviously wasn’t an unpredictable story or ending, but I still wish that it was a little less abrupt. I also wished that we got to see Calla interact more with the Alaskan natives because of how big a role they play in certain characters’ (Jonah and Wren) love and respect for Alaska and those who live there! Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one (long) night! It was my first Tucker read but it won’t be my last and I’m keen to check out more of what she’s written.
Have you read The Simple Wild? Do you have a thing for Alaska too? š Leave me a comment below and let’s chat!
It’s Sunday again already?! I don’t think I’m ever going to stop questioning how my weekends go so quickly. I only wish that the weekdays would do the same š We’re back with another Sundays in Bed With… meme! This meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!
I spent the majority of my day finishing my first Marina Zapata book (review coming soon!) but I’m now in a contemporary romance mood. I think I’m going to pick up From the Start (Walker Family #1) by Melissa Tagg next. I’m a sucker for small town romances and from this week’s TTT, which looked at favorite tropes, I came across quite a few other book bloggers who loved the same trope and gave some book recs that sounded up my alley.
Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn’t kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays…until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.
Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend’s hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he’s lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he’s never really done normal before.
While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it’s like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn’t part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that’s ever happened to them?
What are you currently reading?
I’m officially out of my book slump and this week has probably been my best reading week since August started. I spent my Saturday out and about with my bestie on the island and ended up going a little crazy with the retail therapy! I wasn’t looking to buy anything but I managed to come home with four bags full of shoes, clothes, beauty care and general knick knacks for home. I shocked myself (and my friend!) by walking into a book store and walking out without a purchase though! Who am I even?! It might’ve been the rampant shopping I’d already indulged in prior to stepping into the bookstore that made me feel a little guilty so I managed to hold myself back! I think I’m going to do a post-summer Marie Kondo of my closet and bookshelf next weekend, just to clear up the clutter that’s hanging around my tiny flat!
Overall it’s been a pretty good week. Work didn’t drive me too mental. I had some issues with my laptop that I took care of. I’ve started reading again. I’ve also been listening to Lover all weekend. I wasn’t fan of a few songs on the album when it came out on Friday, but as I expected, they’ve all mostly grown on me now. Have you been listening to the album? Do you have a new favorite track? Cornelia Street and Death by A Thousand Cuts might be new faves but Lover has really grown on me! I’ve still got quite a few reviews to catch up on but I’ll be working on posting those in the coming week! I also have quite a few book tags that I want to do from when I was tagged over the last few weeks! I find that I always just take forever to think of answers and then questions to ask š It’s not been my greatest blogging week but I’m okay with that–life happens after all! On that note, here’s what I did manage to post last week, in case you missed it:
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:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
So… I think I’m finally out of my reading slump thanks to these two great books right here! Despite the wedding shenanigans over the weekend, I managed to start and finish The Whisper Man by the time I landed back in Bali at midnight on Sunday. I’ll be honest and say that based on the insane horror hype it’s been getting on bookstagram, I thought this would be a lot scarier than it was. It was still sufficiently creepy, especially that rhyme (I mean c’mon), and there were some paranormal aspects that had me cowering, but for the most part it was okay. I survived! šš½I then picked up the ARC for The Grace Year by Kim Liggett afterwards, thinking it would be something completely different, and while it was, the story was also a lot creepier and horrific in comparison to The Whisper Man! I wasn’t expecting it, so I was a little shook, but WOW. THIS BOOK. I have no words for it. It might be one of my favorite reads this year. It’s dark, horrifically gory, but also beautifully crafted and carries a strong and important message that I think many (women especially) will be able to relate to. I can’t wait for everyone to read this book when it comes out in October! I’ll be posting my review for both these books soon, so be on the look out!
What are you currently reading?
I’m not reading nothing anymore (woot!) and I’ve actually got two books that I’ve been reading at different times during the day since yesterday, and I’m adding one more to the mix for a group read for Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1) by Kerri Maniscalo that I completely forgot about! I’m hoping to start that tonight as I think we’re discussing the first book at the end of this week before starting the second book in the series on Sunday. My current reads are: Probably the Best Kiss in the World by Pernille Hughes and I’m enjoying it so far. I forgot that it’s based in Edinburgh and uhm, have I mentioned that I’m a sucker for books set there?! My other read is My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing and all I can say isit’s so twisted, holy wow. It’s had its fair share of hype too, but I’ve gone into this only knowing the blurb. I was initially a little confused by what I was reading because why do I feel a little sympathy for this guy(?), so I felt compelled to keep reading to find out if I’m just a psycho myself š or if this guy is just that good at not letting his creep and psycho shine through. The truth is slowly coming out!
What will you read next?
I was tempted to join the #Owlcrateathon since 90% of the Owlcrate books from when I started subscribing late last year have been sitting unread on my shelf (the books must hate me)! But since I’ve just come out of my reading slump, I’m trying to take it easy and go with whatever strikes my mood at the moment! I think I’m leaning towards some contemporary romance, although the one that I’m desperate to read doesn’t come out for another week! But I downloaded a few off KU that I’m looking forward to try. Also, I’m still going to try to tuck away more ARCs for #ARCAugust so… MORE BOOKS YAY!
What are you currently reading? Leave me a comment and let’s chat š
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 crĆØme de la crĆØme, the absolute I cannot even for this list . . .Ā 1. Black coffeeĀ 2. Rude peopleĀ 3. Nathaniel BradleyĀ Which is why when my father informs me that heās making Nathaniel Bradley his new business partner, and in turn, my boss, I flip out.Ā 1. Heās an annoying know-it-all.Ā 2. He calls me a spoiled princess every chance he gets.Ā 3. He disapproves of everything I do.Ā I go into this knowing Iāll hate every second in his presence. Except the longer heās 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 theyād feel on my skin. I try to snap out of it, but I guess Iām not as smart as I thought I was. No matter how many times I remind myself of the times Iāve practically thrown myself at him and heās pushed me away, I keep falling little by little.Ā Iād always heard that it was a bad idea to mix business with pleasure and if thatās the case, this thing with Nathaniel has demise written all over it.Ā
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.Ā (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 wasĀ veryĀ 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. š¤¦š»āāļø
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 alreadyĀ withĀ 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!
It was supposed to be an innocent night, celebrating my brotherās birthday. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. Weād 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. āYeah, right,ā I thought. āA love curse. Ha!ā 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, hadnāt crashed into my life. Brave, beautiful, and smartāher 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?
First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veepās genius granddaughter, theyāre the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsidesānamely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.
The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his motherās bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henryās Prince Charming veneer, thereās a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.Ā
As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?
Coming at you hot with an unpopular opinion. Please don’t come for me! We all have different reading experiences, and honestly, I’m just as bummed about it as you probably are!
This is another one of those books this year that has received an insane amount of hype and I got so excited when I came across the last copy at the bookstore two weeks ago that I (obvi) immediately snatched it up. Oh friends, Iām really torn up about how I feel about this bookā¦ Did I hate it? Noā¦ Did I love it as much as 99.9% of the rest of the book community did? Also, no. I wanted to love this book so much and Iām pretty disappointed that I didnāt. When I thought Iād be zipping through and finishing this in basically one day, I ended up finding it a much slower read than I anticipated. I struggled with the characters and a bit of the politics too (although I surprised myself with how much I know about American politics compared to politics in my āhomeā country). Though the big turning point for me was really in the last 30% of the book and it made a huge difference in how I felt about the story in the end.
I want to keep this as straightforward as possible so Iām going to focus on what my likes and dislikes are. Starting off first with the dislikes because I want to end my review on a brighter note!
What I didn’t like about it:
I really wished that we had more than just Alexās POV. I think that the book wouldāve been much more enjoyable, and also worth the 450+ pages, if there was more than one perspective. Especially considering that Alex was so far from my favorite character. He was infuriating, childish and annoying. He was also incredibly over the top. I just couldn’t get past Alex’s attitude and it got to me a lot more as the book went on, especially in comparison to Henry’s person.
Although honestly, I thought the majority of the characters were over the top. I felt like there was drama just to make drama sometimes and I actually read a lot of the dialogue as if they were shouting at each othersā faces because their tones were just SO LOUD. Also, Iām sorry but, do people really say āshut upā all the time for everything? Is that really how people talk? Everyone, including the president, came off as just way too much 90% of the time.
How I feel about the characters greatly influences how I feel about a book and unfortunately, for the majority of RW&RB, my feelings were pretty negative. Although McQuiston’s writing style is pretty straightforward and easy to read, it didnāt help that I found the pacing very erratic and the story jumped around a lot. I usually donāt mind text messages and emails thrown into the writing mix too, and while I didnāt mind the emails, the text messages were just confusing. This didn’t add anything to story and it could’ve be done without. Sorry to say it, I thought the book was too long for what it was. A lot couldāve been cut out and I don’t think anything crucial wouldāve been missed. š¤·š»āāļø
What I liked about it:
The romance between Alex and Henry was wow. Like, WOW, I was not expecting that heat between them, and their chemistry was off the charts, honey! Towards the latter half of the book, so many beautifully written words were exchanged between them that made my heart swell, my throat close up, and my eyes water. There was so much sweet tenderness between these two and these exchanges were pretty much the only times I found myself genuinely liking Alex. Also, their banter was brilliant! I found myself unable to contain my laughter so many times while reading this book. The many quips were also just too good!
āThe next slide is titled: ‘Exploring your sexuality: Healthy, but does it have to be with the Prince of England?’ She apologizes for not having time to come up with better titles. Alex actively wishes for the sweet release of death.ā
I loved Prince Henry. Hands down, he was my favorite character and half the time I found myself wanting to bundle him up and keep him safe from the nastiness in this world. I also really liked a few side characters like Nora, Pez and Bea. They were quirky, hilarious and surprisingly strong pillars of support. They were also so unapologetically themselves.
This book also raises a lot of important topics that are prominent in todayās social dialogue and agenda. Sexual identity, race, and inequality are just some of the big issues this book covers. And honestly, even though the ending is predictably fairytale-esque and sappy, it also left me feeling so lifted, happy and light. Reading this book did leave me with a feeling of hopefulness and I think that’s one of the best things about it. The interactions in this book are so open and all of the people in Alex’s life are so supportive of his coming out (in fact, it seems that a lot of people suspected or “knew” about him before even he knew about him). It was a really positive discussion surrounding LGBTQIA+ issues, about not having to hide who you are and be vilified for it, and while maybe we’re not to that level yet, I have no doubt that the younger and future generations will be able to take the important steps to creating platforms for openness and discussion. I really wonder if or when that’ll ever happen in Indonesia and it makes me a little sad that there’s an even longer way to go for LGBTQIA+ people here to find a place where they will feel loved and accepted for who they are.
To round all this up, I basically wanted to share the quotes that gave me so much life and made me feel everything! Some of the romance and lines were super cheesy but it still managed to make my heart melt. Feast your eyes on the goo:
āI thought, this is the most incredible thing I have ever seen, and I had better keep it a safe distance away from me. I thought, if someone like that ever loved me, it would set me on fire. And then I was a careless fool, and I fell in love with you anyway. When you rang me at truly shocking hours of the night, I loved you. When you kissed me in disgusting public toilets and pouted in hotel bars and made me happy in ways in which it had never even occurred to me that a mangled-up, locked-up person like me could be happy, I loved you. And then, inexplicably, you had the absolute audacity to love me back. Can you believe it? Sometimes, even now, I still can’t.ā
āThinking about history makes me wonder how Iāll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some.ā
āTo every person in search of somewhere to belong who happened to pick up this book, I hope you found a place in here, even if just for a few pages. You are loved. I wrote this for you. Keep fighting, keep making history, keep looking after one another.ā
So, that’s it. I hope that I wasn’t too harsh or bruised anyone’s feelings with this review. If it isn’t clear, I didn’t hate this book, I just didn’t love it like everyone else. It was just okay for me, and while I was really looking forward to loving it, I’m okay with that. If I could just read the latter half, especially the last 30% of the novel, then I would’ve given it a higher rating. If it was just the email exchanges and only the romantic bits of this book, I would’ve rated it even higher still. The sweet romance was undoubtedly my favorite part of this book–it was heart meltingly sweet– and if there was one reason that I’d remember this book it’d be for the amazing romantic quotes. š
Have you read Red, White & Royal Blue? Anyone feel the way I felt about it? (Lol š) Leave a comment down below and let’s chat!
Omg, is it only Wednesday?! Welp, my brain keeps tricking me into believing it’s Thursday and that there’s only one more day standing between me and my beloved weekend. Well, on that note, 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:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
Yaaas, I finally finished Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff and I kind of hate myself for not reading it right away, but also for not waiting even longer to read it because now book two feels even further away. #bookwormproblems or is it just me? Anyway, I absolutely loved and adored this book and Squad 312, and I wrote a super gushing review about it stuffed full of artwork taken from Jay Kristoff’s website. So if you want to read my review, follow this link! I also recently finished The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James (review coming) and e-ARC for The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill, which was a really cute prequel to The Tea Dragon Society! You can read my review of it here.
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult and This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel are two other buddy reads that I totally forgot I said I would join this month so after I finish my two current buddy reads, these will take priority because I wanna get them read! I’ve been looking forward to both and I’m hoping the buddy reads will give me motivation to finally pick them up.
What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? Leave me a comment and let’s chat š
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:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
I just finished reading The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary last night and I absolutely LOVED IT. Reading this book was like receiving all the warm hugs. I honestly loved Tiffy and Leon so much and I really enjoyed the way their relationship grew. Tiffy’s character went through a significantly bigger development/change in the story, but I liked how Leon’s character opened up too, yet still remained true to himself. I still have to write my review for this book, which I thought I could squeeze in today, but no. Why is it always so hard to write reviews? I also finished I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever AfterĀ by Skottie Young last night. Read my mini-review!
What are you currently reading?
IT’S HAPPENING, FOLKS. Yes, I know I’ve said it one or twice before, but this time, it’s really happening. I’m finally picking up Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff! I started reading at the tail end of my lunch break and I’ve already laughed out loud several times, enjoyed imagining the first cheeky character we’re introduced to and I can’t wait to find out what else is in store! Is it too soon to claim that I’m invested after only reading the first chapter? I’ve still going with The Good Kill: A Killian Lebon Novel by Kurt Brindley. Really hoping to finish it soon! š¤š½
What will you read next?
Next up are three books that I’ve been looking forward to reading with some buddies over on bookstagram. I might actually pick up Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston before the other two, seeing as I know I will speed through this one. I think I’ve only read one not-so-shining review of RW&RB, but all the others have been positively glowing, so I’m excited to see if this lives up to the hype! I’m looking forward to reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. This’ll be my second book by her, but if it’s anything like The Nightingale, it’s going to slaughter me š I haven’t heard that much about A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult, but Picoult has been a long time favorite of mine since high school. She has a wonderful way of telling stories that always immediately sucks me in. The topic she covers in the book is also very relevant to today’s sociopolitical climate too, so it should be an interesting read!
What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? Leave me a comment and let’s chat š
I know that it’s Monday, but my Sunday ended on a really awful work-related disaster (for which I got a call at 9pm for), which absolutely drowned my mood with anxiety and anger, so I didn’t end up writing and posting my wrap up. But I still wanted to share my weekly recap. So, here we go with another Sundays Mondays In Bed With… meme, which dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!
It’s Monday, I’m moody AF because of last night’s news combined with sleep deprivation, and I wish I was still at home reading the book that I started this morning: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. I finished my last read (The Bear and The Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden–review coming soon!) in the wee hours of the morning today, and I felt like reading something ‘lighter’ before I have to start on some upcoming buddy reads of ‘heavier’ books. I’ve heard so many good things about the book that I’m giving myself a pat on the back for picking it up so soon after adding it to my physical shelf! š I have a feeling it’s going to be a read that I’ll really love; I’m just a hopeless romantic like that. Curious to know what it’s about? Read the synopsis below:
Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey each have a problem and need a quick fix. Tiffyās been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London. Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other peopleās welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brotherās unfair imprisonment. Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course… As Leon and Tiffyās unusual arrangement becomes a reality, they start to connect through Post-It notes left for each other around the flat. Can true love blossom even in the unlikeliest of situations? Can true love blossom even if you never see one another? Or does true love blossom when you are least expecting it?
What book are you currently reading?
Despite the annoying ending to my Sunday, I had a pretty decent week. I traveled to Jakarta for work, got to visit my favorite bookstore (Kinokuniya) and brought home a small haul of books that I’m very pleased with! Most are recent releases that I’ve been wanting to read, but I also found In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, which I’ve been wanting to add to my shelf forever, I just couldn’t find any copies on this crazy little island! I also had a pretty decent reading week. I finished four books, but considering that I work full time, and I had a big workshop that I was preparing to facilitate last week, I’m quite happy with my reads. That said, I was pretty quiet on the blogging front but I hope to get back into the grind this week; especially since I have a few book reviews that I need to post!
dinipandareads 