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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
Read Completed 1/24/24 | 3.75 - 4 stars
I've been loving Ashley Poston's adult romances and this was another cute addition to her repertoire! The chemistry between the characters was lovely and while I didn't think I wanted hate-to-love in a story so short, it worked in this one! Though I really would have liked to see more of the love part.
The premise was fun, well-done, and enjoyable to read. This had juuust a little hint at the paranormal/fantasy elements that Ashley Poston has been including in her romances, but more hinting at the curse being real without exploring it as if it was.
Very cute, happy to have read it.
I've been loving Ashley Poston's adult romances and this was another cute addition to her repertoire! The chemistry between the characters was lovely and while I didn't think I wanted hate-to-love in a story so short, it worked in this one! Though I really would have liked to see more of the love part.
The premise was fun, well-done, and enjoyable to read. This had juuust a little hint at the paranormal/fantasy elements that Ashley Poston has been including in her romances, but more hinting at the curse being real without exploring it as if it was.
Very cute, happy to have read it.
Read Completed 1/24/24 |
Part of "The Improbable Meet-Cute" short story collection
I became a HUGE Abby Jimenez fan last year so naturally, when I saw info about this short story collection, I immediately ran to read the Abby Jimenez book first.
How does she make a 5 star book with so little? I just love her writing. Everything about it feels so real all the time, I instantly connected to the characters, and like always, she included some real life tough situations as well. I saw some complaints about the fact that the book had death in it and focused on Holly losing her grandmother, but it wasn't a sad book and this is very typical of all of her books, so maybe those people are new to Abby Jimenez. I thought it was perfect and that it was still romantic and touching. Sometimes you meet just the right people during a hard time in your life and make the connection because you need it.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this and the narrators were perfect. I'm always itching for more Zachary Webber, especially after Abby's other audiobooks, and I love Andi Arndt too.
Part of "The Improbable Meet-Cute" short story collection
I became a HUGE Abby Jimenez fan last year so naturally, when I saw info about this short story collection, I immediately ran to read the Abby Jimenez book first.
How does she make a 5 star book with so little? I just love her writing. Everything about it feels so real all the time, I instantly connected to the characters, and like always, she included some real life tough situations as well. I saw some complaints about the fact that the book had death in it and focused on Holly losing her grandmother, but it wasn't a sad book and this is very typical of all of her books, so maybe those people are new to Abby Jimenez. I thought it was perfect and that it was still romantic and touching. Sometimes you meet just the right people during a hard time in your life and make the connection because you need it.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this and the narrators were perfect. I'm always itching for more Zachary Webber, especially after Abby's other audiobooks, and I love Andi Arndt too.
Read Completed 1/24/24 | 3.5 stars
Part of the Improbable Meet-Cute Collection
I was a little nervous to read the Sally Thorne book in this collection after adoring THE HATING GAME, not liking 99 PERCENT MINE, and kind of DNFing her third book. This had so much charm and tons of cute banter! I really adored the back-and-forth between the two love interests and it was fun to have them meet each other without seeing each other first.
The beginning was a tiny bit annoying and I was worried it was going to annoy me, but the charm came into play and that won me over!
I still didn't quite love it, but if it had caught me from the beginning, it would have been even more solid. Now I need more Sally Thorne banter ASAP!
Part of the Improbable Meet-Cute Collection
I was a little nervous to read the Sally Thorne book in this collection after adoring THE HATING GAME, not liking 99 PERCENT MINE, and kind of DNFing her third book. This had so much charm and tons of cute banter! I really adored the back-and-forth between the two love interests and it was fun to have them meet each other without seeing each other first.
The beginning was a tiny bit annoying and I was worried it was going to annoy me, but the charm came into play and that won me over!
I still didn't quite love it, but if it had caught me from the beginning, it would have been even more solid. Now I need more Sally Thorne banter ASAP!
Read Completed 1/24/24 |
Part of "The Improbable Meet-Cute" Collection
This was a fun read! Starting with an accidental email and continuing with email exchanges for half the book, this was a very cute read. I really liked the characters and this was such a fun connection. I really like the accidental email/text trope and there are always some fun butterflies as they figure out who each other are in real life!
It didn't affect my read much, but I think I would have preferred just a bit more if this was more on an adult timeline. It was neat seeing them connect at a younger age (14 & 16) and letting that connection carry on for longer (10+ years), but I didn't really care about the school and college side of it. Not a big deal since it's a short story, but my personal preference.
Very cute with a couple good laughs too! The ending was adorable and made the rest of it even better.
Part of "The Improbable Meet-Cute" Collection
This was a fun read! Starting with an accidental email and continuing with email exchanges for half the book, this was a very cute read. I really liked the characters and this was such a fun connection. I really like the accidental email/text trope and there are always some fun butterflies as they figure out who each other are in real life!
It didn't affect my read much, but I think I would have preferred just a bit more if this was more on an adult timeline. It was neat seeing them connect at a younger age (14 & 16) and letting that connection carry on for longer (10+ years), but I didn't really care about the school and college side of it. Not a big deal since it's a short story, but my personal preference.
Very cute with a couple good laughs too! The ending was adorable and made the rest of it even better.
Read Completed 1/23/24 | 2.5 stars
This was fine, but not good. I was interested in this after reading the author's previous book, THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR and hoping for more growth and potential in her next book, but this felt far less cohesive.
THE WEEKEND RETREAT mostly suffered because it had too many POVs. There are four of them, all of them female, and while the personalities were different, I still had a really hard time getting the hang of them for way too long. They also just weren't that interesting or unique, some of them blending together, some of them just plain bothering me.
The other issue I had was the pacing. The beginning was just slow and boring, and if I hadn't read another book from Tara Laskowski, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I don't really like thrillers with insufferable, spoiled characters from rich families and these characters didn't interest me at all. This trope/concept can work for me if the characters are well-developed but they never really got there.
The ending had a twist, but I saw it coming quite early so it wasn't really surprising. My other issue its hat it wasn't really done well. If there was more connection to it in the beginning or some wild consequences in the end, it would have landed a bit more, but it just wasn't satisfying enough.
I can see some readers liking this but there's been better and this just didn't do it for me!
This was fine, but not good. I was interested in this after reading the author's previous book, THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR and hoping for more growth and potential in her next book, but this felt far less cohesive.
THE WEEKEND RETREAT mostly suffered because it had too many POVs. There are four of them, all of them female, and while the personalities were different, I still had a really hard time getting the hang of them for way too long. They also just weren't that interesting or unique, some of them blending together, some of them just plain bothering me.
The other issue I had was the pacing. The beginning was just slow and boring, and if I hadn't read another book from Tara Laskowski, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I don't really like thrillers with insufferable, spoiled characters from rich families and these characters didn't interest me at all. This trope/concept can work for me if the characters are well-developed but they never really got there.
The ending had a twist, but I saw it coming quite early so it wasn't really surprising. My other issue its hat it wasn't really done well. If there was more connection to it in the beginning or some wild consequences in the end, it would have landed a bit more, but it just wasn't satisfying enough.
I can see some readers liking this but there's been better and this just didn't do it for me!
3.5 stars
I actually enjoyed this one more than some of the other recent ones. I like that they continue to build on each other and we’re getting more depth overall, but lately they’ve felt like pieces of a whole whereas some of the earlier stories, they felt a little more independent and satisfying, plot-wise. I really did enjoy how it’s all connecting and circling back, and this actually felt a little lighter than some.
I actually enjoyed this one more than some of the other recent ones. I like that they continue to build on each other and we’re getting more depth overall, but lately they’ve felt like pieces of a whole whereas some of the earlier stories, they felt a little more independent and satisfying, plot-wise. I really did enjoy how it’s all connecting and circling back, and this actually felt a little lighter than some.
Read Completed 1/21/24 | I was in need of a quick read and a thriller change of pace and this sounded interesting! I liked the including of Egyptology but was hoping for a little more historical / museum connection. It looks like maybe the female lead may be here the rest of the books so that could be something to look forward to if I continue.
I don't know why I thought this would be different than most quick stories, but yep, it was -- it just didn't have enough depth due to its length. It is possible, and I've read them, but this one just didn't quite do it. I liked the bones but it was a little too bare.
It was good for something fast and maybe if I read another book in the series, they'll start to build on each other and get me that depth I'm looking for! I'll keep this series tucked away in case I need more quick reads later on.
I don't know why I thought this would be different than most quick stories, but yep, it was -- it just didn't have enough depth due to its length. It is possible, and I've read them, but this one just didn't quite do it. I liked the bones but it was a little too bare.
It was good for something fast and maybe if I read another book in the series, they'll start to build on each other and get me that depth I'm looking for! I'll keep this series tucked away in case I need more quick reads later on.
Read Completed 1/19/24 | 3 stars
I don't usually go for YA anymore but I've had a few good successes recently and decided to try this young adult thriller from Jesse Q. Sutanto, who I've also enjoyed reading in the past. This was definitely Joe Goldberg vibes as YOU meets young adult in this obsession thriller.
I enjoyed my read of this one! I liked the beginning a lot more than the ending where things started to go off the rails. I wanted it to be just a little more psychological to mess with my head some more. We get to see dual POVs from both of the main characters and I think I just wanted a little more depth to both of them. I know young adult is capable of it, but this was almost more of an easy reading, YA popcorn thriller.
I liked the style and the vibe, but just wanted more depth all around. The plot got a little funky in the end and I felt like some things were forced, but I liked that it wasn't a super sunshine-y happy ending.
I don't usually go for YA anymore but I've had a few good successes recently and decided to try this young adult thriller from Jesse Q. Sutanto, who I've also enjoyed reading in the past. This was definitely Joe Goldberg vibes as YOU meets young adult in this obsession thriller.
I enjoyed my read of this one! I liked the beginning a lot more than the ending where things started to go off the rails. I wanted it to be just a little more psychological to mess with my head some more. We get to see dual POVs from both of the main characters and I think I just wanted a little more depth to both of them. I know young adult is capable of it, but this was almost more of an easy reading, YA popcorn thriller.
I liked the style and the vibe, but just wanted more depth all around. The plot got a little funky in the end and I felt like some things were forced, but I liked that it wasn't a super sunshine-y happy ending.
Read Completed 1/17/24 | 3 stars
I don't know how I feel about this book. There were moments where it was really good but most of it was just SO slow and boring. And yet... now that I've given it some time, I'm still thinking about it and want to know more about the world. But that's the problem. I want more and the book didn't give it to me.
Firstly, the hype was HUGE with so many friends and trusted reviewers comparing it to Red Rising, and I think that did it a huge injustice. The Red Rising saga is one of my all-time favorite series and I was ready for an intense, action-packed, gut-wrenching adventure combined with high fantasy magical elements. I was highly let down. THE WILL OF THE MANY is a completely different pace, much slower, less character development, little to no magic system development, and long periods where nothing is happening. At least when Pierce Brown has "nothing happening", we're getting a lot of character connection. I was very disappointed in how little we got to know Vis considering his backstory, but more on that later. Did it have similarities to Red Rising? Yes, tons, actually. But Pierce Brown does it way better.
The pacing was wildly slow and the book felt way too long. I took a LONG time to read this, for me. I've read many long books, including Brandon Sanderson and George R.R. Martin's books, and this felt way too long and way too slow. I kept feeling like I was being led to something and then nothing ever happened. It was a little slice of life that just kind of fizzled out. It added to some world-building, I guess, but everything just felt DENSE and I had a very hard time paying attention and getting a grip on everything. My mind kept wandering and I just never felt like the book grabbed me... and it went on like that for 75%.
Vis was a boring main character considering how important he was. I'm furious that James Islington gave us practically nothing about Vis's past. We get TOLD everything, picking up Vis's story when he's already assumed a new identity and years after but we barely get ANYTHING about his past. Not spoilers — we find this out very early on — He’s a freaking secret PRINCE and his family was murdered and yet we only get told very minor things about it all. Back to the Red Rising comparisons, since people did it so much — At least in Red Rising we get to see and experience the injustice that Darrow goes through in order to kickstart his rage and revenge arc. We didn’t even get to be emotionally connected to this, just told about it all off-handedly. Vis was just kind of boring. He was good at a lot of stuff and the stuff that he wasn’t good at, he basically got the hang of it quickly. There were a few exciting moments and fun learning opportunities, but then it was all easy going again. It all felt too easily resolved and that there wasn’t a lot of growth or struggle.
I never understood why Vis even trusted Ulciscor? Ulciscor, a Magnus Quintus, shows up to adopt him to send him on a personal mission in the not-so-magic magical school and Vis is just like, sure why not. It was like, immediate trust and I never understood why. I just didn’t think the way they met meant that he was trustworthy enough, when he’s a part of the Hierarchy.
I never even understood the magic system. It’s BARELY developed and rarely described. It’s just like this far-off magic element that I felt like I was just supposed to accept. There really wasn’t much to explain how it worked or why it worked. It’s magic, it doesn’t have to be crazy detailed because the author tells me it’s real, and it’s real. But I do have to somewhat understand it and at least get why it’s happening. Was it always around? If so, how did no one abuse it until now? Were there rules as to how it was used? How did people start getting their Will to be forced from them? How did certain people gain such control and rise to power in order to start taking “the will of the many”? How do the machines to take the Will from the people work? Who came up with them? Can only the rich or powerful create them / use them?
Basically, I felt like SO many things were set up but it all kept falling short. So many things could have been really neat if the author had spent any time on them. The relationships would start and then fall short. The action would start and then fall short. The magic would start and fall short. It really interrupted the pacing and the flow of everything and it made the book drag.
The ending had a few exciting things that got me interested again and then it got boring again. Then it was just plain confusing because we didn’t spend enough time developing any of these magical things throughout the book. I could have greatly benefitted from more seeding in the beginning so the reader had time to get immersed into everything.
The one good thing here was the audiobook narrator. He did a great job with the book and reminded me a lot of Tim Gerard Reynolds, who narrates the Red Rising series, which also probably ends up being a reason that audio readers would make that comparison. IF — and that’s a big if — I read the next book, I may have to read the print version, or read both print and audio. The audiobook wasn’t hard to follow, but I just had a hard time connecting to it at all. I loved the narrator so I wouldn’t want to skip that experience but I cannot slog through something like this audio experience again, having to REALLY focus so hard. I guess we’ll see if I can ever commit to that.
I don't know how I feel about this book. There were moments where it was really good but most of it was just SO slow and boring. And yet... now that I've given it some time, I'm still thinking about it and want to know more about the world. But that's the problem. I want more and the book didn't give it to me.
Firstly, the hype was HUGE with so many friends and trusted reviewers comparing it to Red Rising, and I think that did it a huge injustice. The Red Rising saga is one of my all-time favorite series and I was ready for an intense, action-packed, gut-wrenching adventure combined with high fantasy magical elements. I was highly let down. THE WILL OF THE MANY is a completely different pace, much slower, less character development, little to no magic system development, and long periods where nothing is happening. At least when Pierce Brown has "nothing happening", we're getting a lot of character connection. I was very disappointed in how little we got to know Vis considering his backstory, but more on that later. Did it have similarities to Red Rising? Yes, tons, actually. But Pierce Brown does it way better.
The pacing was wildly slow and the book felt way too long. I took a LONG time to read this, for me. I've read many long books, including Brandon Sanderson and George R.R. Martin's books, and this felt way too long and way too slow. I kept feeling like I was being led to something and then nothing ever happened. It was a little slice of life that just kind of fizzled out. It added to some world-building, I guess, but everything just felt DENSE and I had a very hard time paying attention and getting a grip on everything. My mind kept wandering and I just never felt like the book grabbed me... and it went on like that for 75%.
Vis was a boring main character considering how important he was. I'm furious that James Islington gave us practically nothing about Vis's past. We get TOLD everything, picking up Vis's story when he's already assumed a new identity and years after but we barely get ANYTHING about his past. Not spoilers — we find this out very early on — He’s a freaking secret PRINCE and his family was murdered and yet we only get told very minor things about it all. Back to the Red Rising comparisons, since people did it so much — At least in Red Rising we get to see and experience the injustice that Darrow goes through in order to kickstart his rage and revenge arc. We didn’t even get to be emotionally connected to this, just told about it all off-handedly. Vis was just kind of boring. He was good at a lot of stuff and the stuff that he wasn’t good at, he basically got the hang of it quickly. There were a few exciting moments and fun learning opportunities, but then it was all easy going again. It all felt too easily resolved and that there wasn’t a lot of growth or struggle.
I never understood why Vis even trusted Ulciscor? Ulciscor, a Magnus Quintus, shows up to adopt him to send him on a personal mission in the not-so-magic magical school and Vis is just like, sure why not. It was like, immediate trust and I never understood why. I just didn’t think the way they met meant that he was trustworthy enough, when he’s a part of the Hierarchy.
I never even understood the magic system. It’s BARELY developed and rarely described. It’s just like this far-off magic element that I felt like I was just supposed to accept. There really wasn’t much to explain how it worked or why it worked. It’s magic, it doesn’t have to be crazy detailed because the author tells me it’s real, and it’s real. But I do have to somewhat understand it and at least get why it’s happening. Was it always around? If so, how did no one abuse it until now? Were there rules as to how it was used? How did people start getting their Will to be forced from them? How did certain people gain such control and rise to power in order to start taking “the will of the many”? How do the machines to take the Will from the people work? Who came up with them? Can only the rich or powerful create them / use them?
Basically, I felt like SO many things were set up but it all kept falling short. So many things could have been really neat if the author had spent any time on them. The relationships would start and then fall short. The action would start and then fall short. The magic would start and fall short. It really interrupted the pacing and the flow of everything and it made the book drag.
The ending had a few exciting things that got me interested again and then it got boring again. Then it was just plain confusing because we didn’t spend enough time developing any of these magical things throughout the book. I could have greatly benefitted from more seeding in the beginning so the reader had time to get immersed into everything.
The one good thing here was the audiobook narrator. He did a great job with the book and reminded me a lot of Tim Gerard Reynolds, who narrates the Red Rising series, which also probably ends up being a reason that audio readers would make that comparison. IF — and that’s a big if — I read the next book, I may have to read the print version, or read both print and audio. The audiobook wasn’t hard to follow, but I just had a hard time connecting to it at all. I loved the narrator so I wouldn’t want to skip that experience but I cannot slog through something like this audio experience again, having to REALLY focus so hard. I guess we’ll see if I can ever commit to that.
Read Complete 1/10/24 | 2.5 stars, rounded up because it wasn't bad but just not for me
I seem to be the outlier here... I just didn't care about this book at all. I didn't connect with the characters, the romance was barely there, I felt no spark, and I felt like there was no story. I just didn't feel like anything happened or anything developed, and the romance wasn't enough to carry the book... which in a romance book, it obviously should.
Clearly, people enjoyed this but it felt like the characters just bouncing around each other and zero plot whatsoever. A romance book can just be vibes, but when you don't connect with those vibes, it falls flat, so that's what happened to me here.
I did like some things. I liked how the two were able to help each other, connect with each other, and openly talk about their mental health. They each supported each other and made a good match. I obviously liked the reappearance of past characters. And I liked the travel vibes.
This one just didn't do it for me, but I appreciate the change in pace. If there are more books in this series, I still look forward to trying them.
I seem to be the outlier here... I just didn't care about this book at all. I didn't connect with the characters, the romance was barely there, I felt no spark, and I felt like there was no story. I just didn't feel like anything happened or anything developed, and the romance wasn't enough to carry the book... which in a romance book, it obviously should.
Clearly, people enjoyed this but it felt like the characters just bouncing around each other and zero plot whatsoever. A romance book can just be vibes, but when you don't connect with those vibes, it falls flat, so that's what happened to me here.
I did like some things. I liked how the two were able to help each other, connect with each other, and openly talk about their mental health. They each supported each other and made a good match. I obviously liked the reappearance of past characters. And I liked the travel vibes.
This one just didn't do it for me, but I appreciate the change in pace. If there are more books in this series, I still look forward to trying them.