i LOVE a good knives out-esque story, poor girl gets rich off the back of a loophole mystery will left by some old mogul who has a bone to pick (even i LOVE a good knives out-esque story, poor girl gets rich off the back of a loophole mystery will left by some old mogul who has a bone to pick (even in death) with his horrible inheritors
however, this book didn't do a great job of telling the story. idk if it's the voice of the novel itself, but it did not click for me, right from the beginning. sure it's a fun read and the idea is entertaining enough on it's own to get me to read till the end
but the story itself? the characters? the build up?? it didn't do much for me.
and i STG if i hear one more "silver eye" comment about Grayson I will launch myself into the solar system, WHO THE HELL CARES THIS MUCH ABOUT SOMEONES EYE COLOUR im going to scREAM
i wish i had the e-book version of this so i could search up "gray/silver/shimmering eyes" and truly understand how many times i need to punch a hole in the wall (new game, punch something everytime Avery mentions Grayson's eyes)
and the funny part??? SHE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE HIM!!!!!!!!! Lord have mercy, ma'am i know you're 17 but please, let's try and get self-aware this year
overall, not a fan of the whole love-triangle nonsense, ESPECIALYL BETWEEN BROTHERS IM SO SORRY WHAT???? and i was hoping for a more solid plan on the riddles/games left behind for them to solve
but i'm praying the next books give me more answers (and less description on eye colors)
so yes, i will be continuing this series, even if it's just to satisfy my own burning questions. let's hope we find the answers we're looking for ...more
this was wildly more dramatic than i was expecting. there were a lot of aspects that i enjoyed but there were also some scenes that just,,,,,,,,,,werethis was wildly more dramatic than i was expecting. there were a lot of aspects that i enjoyed but there were also some scenes that just,,,,,,,,,,were SO WRONG
(view spoiler)[ sophie spreading around ever's private pictures to a whole bunch of guys and to her teachers in order to get expelled AIN'T IT!!!! i dont know how anything can repair that kind of betrayal and the way ever forgave her was just......not realistic. anyways (hide spoiler)]
i feel like i've read this story many times and sadly this one didn't stand out. if you want a book about an asian girl trying to find her future outside her parents dreams i would highly suggest American Panda or I Love You So Mochi
i found a stronger connection to those books and found them less dramatic (plus there were less love triangles ...more
aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh okay that ending, i would never ever ever guessed which is cool in a way but also not cool bc there was no way i could haaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh okay that ending, i would never ever ever guessed which is cool in a way but also not cool bc there was no way i could have figured it out on my own so.
i think this book is going to be ridiculously polarizing bc while the story follows a common mystery/domestic-thriller narrative and is slowww in the build, the ending is absolutely Wild and maybe even a little too preposterous
that being said, i was strangely intrigued throughout the entire book and the ending still has me shaken
im in between a 3.5 and 4 right now and i can't really explain why.
- this book did a lot of things and it did them well. to start, there's this very im in between a 3.5 and 4 right now and i can't really explain why.
- this book did a lot of things and it did them well. to start, there's this very strong theme of family and heritage and immigration - but that's just the beginning cause this book is loaded with secrets, betrayals, and tragedies that revolve around one family - *give us the family dramaaaaaa* - i LOVE reading stories that take place in unique settings & this takes place (mainly) in holland. the setting is described vividly and is a relevant part of the story - the relationship between sylvie and amy ...more
i really really really love reading historic books set during the world wars, theyre always so descriptive and moving and i learn so much about the pei really really really love reading historic books set during the world wars, theyre always so descriptive and moving and i learn so much about the people and what they had to suffer during those times
and i was REALLY loving this book for the first half but once this ~*strange element*~ came into play, i wasn't sure what to feel after that
from then, i was growing more and more uninterested in the book and sure it's heartbreaking and terribly sad but i still don't understand how this time travel thingy works nor do i care to know
however comma i thought the ending was incredibly well done and i applaud the author for taking that route instead of the ending everyone expects.
don't mind me, i'm just going to be spending the next 13 hours looking at june/day fan edits.don't mind me, i'm just going to be spending the next 13 hours looking at june/day fan edits....more
i have no idea how to convey my feelings towards this MASSIVE book and even MASSIVE-ER series so instead, i present to you, the stormlight characters i have no idea how to convey my feelings towards this MASSIVE book and even MASSIVE-ER series so instead, i present to you, the stormlight characters as mincing mockingbirds
(bc this is so much better than what i could come up with)
book #2 completed! for the reading rush, under the challenge of: "read a book with a non-human main character"✓
things i didn't love about this boobook #2 completed! for the reading rush, under the challenge of: "read a book with a non-human main character"✓
things i didn't love about this book: - the characters are flat, the playboy prince and the sweet prince have the some personality and are basically interchangeable - the book didn't ACTUALLY sart until 80%, honestly it felt like the same fact we knew just kept getting reiterated A MILLION TIMES - the mc is too boring to have everyone in love with her. oh!! there it is, i said it - i wish we could get a lot more 'in the sea/with the mermaids' scenes bc they were pretty much non-existent - ENOUGH of the balls and parties omg that felt like the entire book bye
things that were okay about this book: - mette's character and her ending was probably the most entertaining thing about the book - the final chapters were a good closure for the main character, i'll give it that - yeah that's all i can find
this was one of the best contemporaries that showed how realistically messy and annoying and petty teenagers can be but also how much they can grow anthis was one of the best contemporaries that showed how realistically messy and annoying and petty teenagers can be but also how much they can grow and be mature and learn from their mistakes.
the character development was fantastic. it was shown in a steady, believable, flawed way way. i loved the show of relationships, between the main character and her mom, aunt, and best friend.
the romance was freaking adorable, maybe friends to lovers do actually deserve rights ...more
book #1 done for the contemporary-a-thon under the challenge of: read a diverse contemporary ✔
okay this book was really cheesy and dramatic but somehobook #1 done for the contemporary-a-thon under the challenge of: read a diverse contemporary ✔
okay this book was really cheesy and dramatic but somehow it worked???
pros - i loved loved loved the indian and bollywood references (even though i didn't understand the majority of them) its nice to see authors un-apologetically put their language and culture into books - the friendship between winnie and bridget - super fast paced - her PARENTS and GRANDMA were hilarious. i love seeing ethnic parents in their element and winnie has such a good relationship with hers - it's a really nice, cute, summer read (and yet i read this during a snowstorm) - it's SO dramatic, like everything you'd imagine a bollywood movie to be, v fun
cons - yes, i mentioned dramatic as a pro and it WAS for the fun and exaggerated parts but some parts (view spoiler)[ like when she found out dev's name started with 'R' i mean,,,,,,did everyone not see that coming?? (hide spoiler)] were just a streeetcchhh - (not an actual con for me, but) this book is HUGE on romance, so if that's not something you're into, probably skip - there were some really overly cheesy scenes - jenny's entire plot was just,,,,,,,,, - raj was giving me creeper vibes, i get that they've been together a while but the boi doesnt understand what MOVE ON means - (view spoiler)[ when her friends were like 'you sHoUlD qUiT tHe FiLm FeStIVaL aNd RuIn yOuR cHanCes fOr UnI bC oF a BoY' i was like goodbye felicia, youre unneeded here (hide spoiler)]
is it possible to love a book more with each reread?? ofc it is.
i seriously can't put into words how much i love this book but its BRILLIANT. listen, is it possible to love a book more with each reread?? ofc it is.
i seriously can't put into words how much i love this book but its BRILLIANT. listen, cute doodles, hilarious characters, a cute nik, space drama, betrayal, redemption, some weird and freaky worms, its all here and you know you want to read it
serious highlight of the book: nik asking 'wuts a bonaparte' when hanna is trying to explain war tactics
i heard 'pride and prejudice retelling' and 'characters of colour' and my heart was like 5 STAR IT!!! but i take my reviewing career seriously so i coi heard 'pride and prejudice retelling' and 'characters of colour' and my heart was like 5 STAR IT!!! but i take my reviewing career seriously so i couldn't just rate a book i didnt read
Pros - the fierce pride zuri has for her african-latino heritage - the fierce love zuri has for her family, especially her older sister - the storyline follows pride and prejudice pretty closely so it's very easy to see the parallels as well as where the author chose to go original - i loved the mixed heritage and how it was expressed in zuri's family through food, dress, dance, etc. it was really interesting to read about and was so unique bc you dont see these cultures expressed in YA - talk of class and financial status - the poetry was a very personal touch - it was incredibly easy to read, i finished it in pretty much one sitting
Cons - zuri was really judgemental and rude, i get the whole haters-to-lovers who bicker and roll their eyes at each other but the charming aspects of elizabeth and mr. darcy felt missing in these characters - they just pretty much hated each other one minute and the next they were kissing ?? boi?? - i didn't find zuri or darius to be that great tbh, they were both pretty awful to each other and then they quickly jumped to 'i've never met anyone like you' - the writing is very 'telling' and it felt tiring to read, like someone explaining something to you rather than following a cute love story - the dialogue felt inauthentic to me, not with the slang of their language, just in the way they talked to each other, the overuse of words like 'corny', the exclamation points, a lot of unnecessary back and forth, it just made it feel VERY superficial
i think this book meant to be a lot of great things and while i found a lot of flaws and disappointments while reading, i can recognize the positive aspects and appreciate the book for that...more
listening to the audiobook definitely improved my experience (the narrator's accents 😍) and i'm just so smitten with the story and tthis was SO. CUTE.
listening to the audiobook definitely improved my experience (the narrator's accents 😍) and i'm just so smitten with the story and the characters.
my only complaint with the story was (view spoiler)[ the fact of "cheating." jack and laurie kissed while they were both in relationships and while it can be played off as 'it was just a kiss' or 'it was a lapse in judgement' it didn't bode well for me. kinda wish they just expressed their feelings without having to physically cheat on their significant others (hide spoiler)]
other than that, i loved the friendship, (sarah and laurie were too precious) i loved the setting, i love how real the characters felt, i loved how it took place over a long period of time
and the ENDING! it was so soft and sweet and did i tear up listening to it? absolutely.
4 stars
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i totally meant to read this in december (but sadly that's not how library holds work) but we still have a couple feet of snow outside, so honestly, close enough...more
This was honestly one of the BETTER kasie west books that have been released recently and IM SO HAPPY, FINALLY!!
Pros - the mc was likeable and has This was honestly one of the BETTER kasie west books that have been released recently and IM SO HAPPY, FINALLY!!
Pros - the mc was likeable and has this massive family (extra points for big fams) - while the whole premise is very common, there wasn't cringey, unnecessary drama and i appreciate that - i loved the idea of the podcast and the advice thing! - it was sickly cuuuute - DIEGO IS THE CUTEST BOY ALIVE - thank goodness for no girl hate when boys get involved 👏👏 - even though there was a love triangle, i didnt find it nauseating or cliche, was handled well imo - while the characters usually seem more juvenile to me, i found these characters to be a bit more mature - the audiobook narrator was GREAT
Cons - there wasn't anything standoutish about the book - it was very much an easy summer read, but it didnt hold much impact for me - all of kasie west's mc's seem to have the same thinking and internal monologue, which is finnnee but it just feels like one character throughout her books
im actually impressed i managed to enjoy this one, bc lately all of kasie west's stories were going to bust and im just happy it pleasantly surprised me :')
3 stars!
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Kasie west will forever write and publish full length novels in 2 days and i will forever keep reading them even if they leave a hole of disappointment in my soul
I love these characters SO FRICKEN much im going to be in literal tears for the next week no one touch me This. Is. How. You. Write. A. Love. Triangle.
I love these characters SO FRICKEN much im going to be in literal tears for the next week no one touch me
5 stars!!
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jia and maram are back at it with peer pressuring me into reading books that will hurt my soul with them :)))))...more
. . . . . im still at a loss for what the purpose of this book is??
dont get me wrong, i really appreciated the mc's ouhardcore skimming after 60%
. . . . . im still at a loss for what the purpose of this book is??
dont get me wrong, i really appreciated the mc's outlook on herself and her relationships.
shes not the 'im ugly but everyone things im pretty mary-sue' type protagonist. she's not ashamed of who she is and shes confident and yas girl own ittttt. that was really refreshing to see.
but. . . . .i just don't understand why we need over 300 pages for no plot and multiple love triangles to occur. even the writing was bland and monotone for me and im just sad i didn't love it.