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jennastopreading's reviews
535 reviews
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
dark
informative
sad
slow-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
3.5
Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie
emotional
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Medical content
Moderate: Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy via Netgalley!
This was a cute, easy to read in one sitting novella. It had all the makings of a perfect little Hallmark movie with a small town setting, a female protagonist down on her luck, and a male protagonist from her past that stumbles back into town. Of course he's rich, of course he's handsome, and of course he's charming! While predictable, I found this quite enjoyable to read, and it was especially satisfying to be able to do so in around an hour. It had humor, a little bit of conflict, romance, and holiday cheer.
This was a cute, easy to read in one sitting novella. It had all the makings of a perfect little Hallmark movie with a small town setting, a female protagonist down on her luck, and a male protagonist from her past that stumbles back into town. Of course he's rich, of course he's handsome, and of course he's charming! While predictable, I found this quite enjoyable to read, and it was especially satisfying to be able to do so in around an hour. It had humor, a little bit of conflict, romance, and holiday cheer.
The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.75
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you to the publisher for my copy via Netgalley!
I read NOTES ON YOUR SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE by the same author and absolutely loved it. The book was dark, gritty, and well delivered. I was so excited to see that she came out with this one, and went into it knowing that it would also probably be pretty dark and sad - but I was okay with that, and ready to dive in.
This story was described online as heartwarming and humorous, though - and in my opinion, it was neither of those things. I let out 0 chuckles and I was so frustrated by the end that I wanted all my time back that I spent reading it.
Now that it’s behind me, I cannot believe the amount of time I wasted on this overly crass book. The storyline had SO MUCH PROMISE, but I was insanely distracted by the language throughout sounding like a teenage boy trying to impress his friend. There are words and phrases in this book that I haven’t heard since I was 15, and I would’ve preferred to keep it that way. The characters cursed like sailors, had almost no emotional depth to them, and all were pretty awful to one another.
The book is also chock full of trigger warnings, so I highly recommend researching those thoroughly before going in. The main ones I can think of are: infidelity, infertility, suicide, miscarriage, talk of a pandemic, grief, and death of a parent.
2 stars and an automatic delete off my kindle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
All I Want is You by Falon Ballard
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!
I have read everything that Falon Ballard has written and felt so excited to see a Christmas novel on the new release list for 2024! Not only do I love love, I love Christmas, so what can be better than love at Christmas penned by an author I’ve previously enjoyed, right?
One thing Falon Ballard is unmatched on for me is creating the sweetest male leads. Each of them had such a sweet, sensitive side, with some more mysterious than others. ALL I WANT IS YOU featured Nick, a somewhat grumpy but total romantic author of romance novels. He captured my heart from the beginning with his devotion and admiration of his assistant, Hilary, and his niche role as an unmarried romance author. As more layers were peeled back throughout the story, Nick was hands down the best part of this book. His character had depth, charisma, and as we got further into the story, a vulnerability that a lot of MMC don’t have.
I struggled with Jess. I’m not sure where this one missed the mark for me, can’t quite put my finger on it. I didn’t find her entirely unlikable, necessarily, but I also didn’t see her as someone that Nick would be totally head over heels for. She lacked the depth and range that I typically connect with in stories, and that made the sections from her POV a little unreadable for me.
I know that this next part will be a hot take, as there seems to be a belief in the book community that thinking too much explicit content in a romance book is not a reason to knock off a star in a rating…but I feel it needs to be said. I believe that book reviews are subjective and are based solely on opinions, and I found the amount of sex in this book to be a lot more than what I prefer as a reader. 3 VERY open door scenes in a 272 page book is just..a lot. It was right on the cusp of taking away from the story, as it made it feel that Nick and Jess only cared for each other because of their chemistry in bed.
I enjoyed the way the typical “third at breakup” was approached in this story, the part that I usually dread. While some may say it was centered around miscommunication, I would say that it was centered around Nick’s insecurities, and to me, that felt totally believable and relatable with where the characters were in their lives.
I enjoyed the tropes incorporated into this one, as well - enemies to lovers, second chance romance, snowed in, there’s only one bed - I thought they were all woven together effortlessly. I thought the Christmastime setting was great, too, making it read like a true holiday novel.
Overall, a solid Christmas romance from Falon Ballard, and I will read more from her in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Torture
Minor: Pregnancy