Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Ökyrikas tyttöystävä

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Ökyrikas tyttöystävä by Kevin Kwan

13 reviews

cnjg88's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The ending was really good. I feel like the plot twist was done well, and using news articles to give the aftermath was an interesting choice that I think fit well with the theme of the book. I really want a book focusing on Astrid. I loved Rachel and Nick's story in the first book, but Astrid's POVs were the main reason I kept reading through the first half of the book. With that in mind, Rachel was as classy as ever, and her argument with the final antagonist was excellent.

The format was also fun. Kwan rotates the conversation medium in addition to the POV in a way that I personally enjoy. It's like if the emails, texts, and news bits from 50 Shades was done well.

That said, there were some topics that I think could have been handled better. I'm not Jewish, so I don't know if the use of the term "Nazi" being used to describe loyal employees is okay when a character you are meant to loathe uses it. I am autistic though, so I do feel comfortable saying that I wish the conversation about r-slur babies had either gone differently or if other characters that we are supposed to like had one discussing eugenics and ableism. I think that the author's goal was to make them seem out of touch and shitty, similar to how he uses classism and racism, but I think it could have been executed better. The were also some casually ableist comments from the MCs about schizophrenia and OCD that felt weird.

All in all, 3 out of 5. It's overall a good book, political/social commentary is almost always my jam, the format was very unique in the best possible way. My main issues were pacing and some questionable handling of sensitive topics

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emilywemily6's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Despite this book’s flaws, I enjoyed it more than the first one! I think it’s because this book had less bullying and had only a couple antagonists against Rachel. This book felt a little long, though, with not a lot happening, and the drama ramped up for the last 30% of the book in an excessive way. There were also a lot of major plot happenings at the end of the book that didn’t really tie up loose ends. Some things ended up too nicely without issues. And Astrid and Michael drove me crazy. And yet I enjoyed the process of reading this book more than the last lol.

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pastellymoon's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I felt like it did not have as much depth as Crazy Rich Asian did.

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laurajordensharris's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I really enjoyed the film and when I found out it was based on a book, I had to read it. I had mixed feelings on the first book and this one was the same.

On the eve of her weeding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless ring, a wedding dress she loves more than anything and a fiancé who will willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. Until a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendour beyond anything she could ever imagine. There she meets Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for his Prince Harry like antics and Colette, a celebrity girlfriend who is chased by fevered paparazzi and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet – her father. Meanwhile, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. It is a fiction romance adult fiction novel.

Okay, let’s start with what I liked about this book: Nick and Charlie – they saved this book! Charlie’s just being hung on his first love that he is willing to do anything and be friend zoned over and over again just to be in her life was so sweet, but he also has a meddling side that I wanted to see more of, and we did get a little peak in this novel. I also still love Nick, he is so charming and yet so protective, I would have loved to read some more from his point of view.

The issues I have with this novel is the writing. It was a very slow book, it dragged. But I don’t think the multiple parts helped – I don’t mind a book split in parts but at least carrying on the chapters as normal. When it hit part 2 and started again at Chapter 1 – it sort of confused me, I thought it was three books rolled into one. Another thing is usually, I like multiple POVs but with this book, the chapters say start with the place there are at and who’s POV it is but then it will just switch in the middle of it either the person will change or it’s like they went on a plane and BAM new location. I didn’t like the storyline being around Kitty Pong – I think mainly because she is a side character in the first book and then from the beginning it’s like she’s back and married and spending all this money as if it’s something new.

Overall, I am really disappointed with this book. I gave this book 3 stars because of how slow-paced and confusing it was. I don’t know if I’m going to read the final book in the series, but we will see.

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esme_t's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.0

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parasolcrafter's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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librariangeorgia's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really enjoyed this book - not as much as the first, but it was an enjoyable read. It’s even crazier than the first book, not that I thought it would be possible.

I do think it was a bit longer than it needed to be as some elements of the plot were dragged on for way too long. Literally, the plot reveals all happened within the last couple of chapters.

However, I did love getting more of an insight into the minor characters from the first book - mainly Kitty. It was nice to see a proper storyline for them - even if I wasn’t that interested in them in the first place!

Even though I hate Eleanor, she kind of just disappears halfway through the book and doesn’t crop up again until the very end. Seemed out of character for her to be honest, considering she likes to interfere in literally everything.

Astrid is still my absolute fave and I just want her to be happy!!! And Eddie is still a dick.

I’m so looking forward to reading the final book - but also sad because then it’ll be over.

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laurajeangrace's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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pachelrooley's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is fun, addictive, and nostalgic for anyone who has spent any time in Singapore - it's great fun if you recognise all the settings! There are some fun characters, but I have to say that Rachel and Nick are excruciatingly boring and naive. The reader is obviously meant to root for them but they have literally no personality other than being 'nice', which is not particularly compelling.
The descriptions of opulence can be fun but take up too much space that could have been spent on the climaxes of the plot - which seemed to be completely rushed at the end, which was a shame.
All that said, I read it in about 24 hours, so evidently the author is doing something right!

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