Kendall

I wanted to like this book SO much, but it just missed the mark. This book had some really good elements. For instance, I really liked the dialogue. It was quirky and a little off, but I mean that in the best way. I found myself chuckling a lot especially during the scenes where the entire “team” got together. I also liked the characters (for the most part). They were all unique with full backstories and contrasting qualities. The one character that I found lacking was Jack. His whole vibe was “mysterious and suave”. While this is all great and dandy, the mystery never lifted. There was never a point where I really got to know more about him. I couldn’t get invested in his character and subsequent wellbeing when he would disappear and pop in with no explanation. Because of this, I didn’t really root for the “romance” between him and Simi. It seemed very superficial. At times, she seems to flip how she feels for Jack in a single moment, but it never made sense. If you are mad at someone, them flirting with you is not going to solve anything. She also didn’t ever learn anything about him, so I am not sure why she was so insistent that she wanted to be with him. Speaking of things that I am unsure about, there were a lot of logistical plot holes when it came to the “team” and the heist itself. It felt like it was all thrown together and just magically worked. I was expecting some sort of “Ocean’s 8” movie and instead I got a version that would be a Wish-app equivalent of a heist story.

I wanted to love this, but it was just too poorly written that I couldn’t get behind it. I also think there is a sequel, but I most likely won’t read it as I doubt I’ll remember half of what happened in this book and I certainly will not be re-reading this to refresh my memory.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I read the first one, and I am not going to lie. I wasn’t impressed. BUT I kept hearing good things about the second one, so I thought I’d give it a shot, and I will say… I really liked it. The story was cute, the characters funny, and it all was grounded in a way that seemed real. It also wasn’t just an excuse to write a ton of sex scenes like the first one was (no shade if that’s what you want, but I like a slower build). I won’t say that this book had the most groundbreaking plot (it was pretty meh), but the characters were really well done, so it made the plot interesting. Lauren and Alex were such a odd duo, but they worked so well. They had similar humor, and their banter was really cute to see. I love seeing a Grumpy X Sunshine trope where the guy is the closest thing to a golden retriever as you can get. I really liked the plus size representation that Lauren brought. She wasn’t ashamed or trying to lose weight or anything like other plus size books normally do. She also wasn’t constantly talking about it either. She just was, and I loved that. I also really appreciated I liked the representation of mental health and ADHD. I feel like it was done in an interesting way. You can really see the impulsivity and certain aspects of ADHD in this book, and it was an interesting plot device.

After reading this book, I can genuinely say that I recommend it. I’ll probably try the third installment just to see if it gets any better. I can’t say that I would recommend the series…but this one was good. (Afternote: I think this book is the only saving grace of the series. I tried to read the book after this one and DNFed it SO….take that for what it is.)

It’s rare for a YA romance book to live up to the hype, and let me tell you… this one does. I think it is in part due to the fact that although this is a book that is obviously set in high school, it didn’t feel childish. It felt just like a classic, sweet, and funny romance story. I could easily see this book being made into a movie that I watch multiple times on repeat.

As a rom-com lover, this book was the perfect mix. I loved all the references to my favorite movies and seeing the tropes play out in a way that broke the fourth wall but also was serious in playing them out. Not only that, but it is clear that Wes… ELITE male romance lead. He was funny, sweet, and clearly madly in love with the girl even if she didn’t see it. (Also… is it just me who pictured a Dylan O'Brian in his Teen Wolf era as Wes while reading this book?). I was practically swooning at certain parts.

This book is also hilarious in a way that I wasn’t expecting. There are multiple events where it seems like fate is trying to tell our brilliant female lead to maybe look for romance elsewhere, but goodness… it was gold. I truly found myself laughing at the absurdity while also thinking about how that could totally happen to me (misfortune is my bestie…what can I say?)

As with any good romance book, it touched on more topics than just romance and “getting the guy”. It dealt with grief and what it’s like to NOT move on while everyone else does. It was such as interesting and yet relevant subject that was written in a really relatable way.

Overall, I loved this book. It was a perfect weekend read, and I can see myself re-reading it in the future. It gives you hope… and if you are a hopeless romantic already, this book will just add to the proof that it exists. I would highly recommend!

Ooof. This book was RoUgH. If I had to pinpoint a perfect example of trying too hard, I'd pick this book. To start off, the first couple chapters weren't actually that bad, and the premise of the whole book was pretty cool, but the execution was painful. I could honestly feel the author trying to be mysterious instead of BEING mysterious. As a reader, the last thing that I want when reading a suspense novel is to be constantly told by the main character's narration that someone is being weird. I should just inherently know that. There were also a LOT of plot holes that were just never explained. For instance, the entire time Mira, the main character, keeps getting these weird "gut feelings" about people or feeling suddenly nauseous, but there is not explanation. The "strangers" all also seemed to know each other, but how they did was never explained. The ending honestly felt like a shot in the dark. I wish that I could say that there were parts that I liked, but this was difficult to get through. I would NOT recommend.

This book was interesting to say the least. I will say that I found it to be really … heavy. The world and the magic system are pretty complex and odd in this book, so it makes sense that so much time is spent of describing how it all works. But there is SOOOO much detail. It isn’t just the first couple chapters and then sprinkled in as needed. Nope, its constant and consistent the entire way through. For that reason alone, I wouldn’t necessarily categorize it as a “fun” read. It was dark, moldy, and uncomfortable at times. So why did I still kind of like it? The characters. I loved the fact that the main character El is destined to be a villain, yet still tries to be good. I loved how sarcastic and rude she was to everyone even if she was saving them. I also loved Orion, the embodiment of a cinnamon roll, who has such a one-track mind of being a hero that he’ll save the one girl who doesn’t want him to multiple times. Their relationship (odd as it was) along with all the other cool side characters is the reason that I kept reading and why I will probably read the next one. While I wish the author understood that sometimes we as the reader don’t need to know every micro detail all the time, I do want to know what happens to everyone and if they graduate this deadly school.