Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 6-11-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Not in Love- Ali Hazelwood: Rue Siebert has gone through a lot to get to where she is today. A rough upbringing led her to pursue a career in bioengineering, where she dedicated countless hours working on a patent close to her heart at Kline, one of the most promising start-up companies. But when a hostile take-over, headed by her almost one-night stand, threatens everything she worked so hard for, Rue is left scrambling. Eli Killgore and his business partners will do whatever it takes to get Kline. They have a not-so-great history with the company's founder and are looking for justice. Eli is usually focused on the task at hand, but Rue is a distraction he doesn't foresee. The attraction between the pair is undeniable, and they know that acting on it would jeopardize their careers, but that doesn't stop them from wanting to.
We can all agree that Hazelwood has a formula she never seems to deviate from, so I went into this expecting it to be like all her previous books. I figured we would get a teeny, quirky woman and a towering broody love interest with a lot of science and angst thrown in. So I was surprised to find that wasn't the case. It was still chock-full of science bits that I didn't care about or fully understand. We still got our tall, pensive male MC, but instead of the early-2000s cringey FMC, we got Rue who was the complete opposite. She was cold and aloof and so unlike any other Hazelwood heroine I've read from, and I enjoyed it. She and Eli were both so analytical, and I liked how they showed each other the worst parts of themselves, and both stayed despite it all. I thought the smut overpowered the plot, but it was still a quick read despite not being my favorite of hers.
We can all agree that Hazelwood has a formula she never seems to deviate from, so I went into this expecting it to be like all her previous books. I figured we would get a teeny, quirky woman and a towering broody love interest with a lot of science and angst thrown in. So I was surprised to find that wasn't the case. It was still chock-full of science bits that I didn't care about or fully understand. We still got our tall, pensive male MC, but instead of the early-2000s cringey FMC, we got Rue who was the complete opposite. She was cold and aloof and so unlike any other Hazelwood heroine I've read from, and I enjoyed it. She and Eli were both so analytical, and I liked how they showed each other the worst parts of themselves, and both stayed despite it all. I thought the smut overpowered the plot, but it was still a quick read despite not being my favorite of hers.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 5-17-22 Adult - Fantasy |
The Stardust Thief- Chelsea Abdullah: Loulie al-Nazari has gone by a few names in her life, one being the Midnight Merchant. Along with her jinn bodyguard, Loulie hunts down illegal jinn relics. Loulie has always tried to fly under the radar, but when she saves the life of a young prince, it catches the eye of the sultan, who blackmails Loulie into tracking down a legendary artifact. While the lamp she's ordered to find can revive their barren lands, it would be at the cost of jinn lives. But with obedience or death being her only options, Loulie sets out with her bodyguard, the sultan's oldest son, and one of his ruthless thieves on a quest through the sands. As their journey progresses, Loulie soon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and she must sort between reality and illusion if she hopes to survive.
I loved the premise but didn't love how it played out. It's marketed as an adult fantasy, but it read more YA, which isn't a bad thing, just not what I expected. I wanted complex world-building and atmospheric writing, but it all felt simple. It was as if Abdullah was telling you the events rather than showing you. It made it hard to connect with the characters because they all lacked depth. The twists and reveals at the end also felt lackluster. Unfortunately, nothing about it kept my interest to the point where I forgot everything that happened once I put the book down. I hoped for something exciting and adventurous, but it was blander than a saltine cracker.
I loved the premise but didn't love how it played out. It's marketed as an adult fantasy, but it read more YA, which isn't a bad thing, just not what I expected. I wanted complex world-building and atmospheric writing, but it all felt simple. It was as if Abdullah was telling you the events rather than showing you. It made it hard to connect with the characters because they all lacked depth. The twists and reveals at the end also felt lackluster. Unfortunately, nothing about it kept my interest to the point where I forgot everything that happened once I put the book down. I hoped for something exciting and adventurous, but it was blander than a saltine cracker.
Rating: 2/5
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| Pub Date: 4-2-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Just for the Summer- Abby Jimenez: Justin and Emma are two strangers who share the same problem. Both are convinced they're cursed because every time they break up with someone, that person goes on to find their soul mate. When Justin's post about his bad luck goes viral, Emma slides into his DMs to commiserate. The pair fall into an easy conversation, and Justin comes up with a plan to break their curses: they'll date each other, break up, and then find the loves of their lives. As a traveling nurse, Emma can take a job anywhere, and dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, so she and her best friend pack up and head to Minnesota. Justin and Emma agree to terms-- four dates, one kiss, then break up. The pair expected a fun little fling, not to catch real feelings. But when Emma's toxic mom shows up, and Justin assumes guardianship of his young siblings, things start to become serious, and both find they aren't ready for their deal to end.
The chokehold that Jimenez's love interests have on me is unreal. I was swooning over Justin from the very first page. He was thoughtful, kind, and funny. I loved how he cared for everyone around him, no questions asked. He gets put in a tough family spot and stepped up to the plate. The way he cared for Emma and was patient with her while she figured out her problems was everything. I love how all of Jimenez's relationships are so honest and vulnerable. They're the perfect balance of tender and playful. The banter between Justin and Emma was adorable, and nothing about their romance felt forced or rushed. The issues they faced tore at my heartstrings, but it made their bond even stronger. Everything about it worked perfectly for me, and I can't recommend it enough.
The chokehold that Jimenez's love interests have on me is unreal. I was swooning over Justin from the very first page. He was thoughtful, kind, and funny. I loved how he cared for everyone around him, no questions asked. He gets put in a tough family spot and stepped up to the plate. The way he cared for Emma and was patient with her while she figured out her problems was everything. I love how all of Jimenez's relationships are so honest and vulnerable. They're the perfect balance of tender and playful. The banter between Justin and Emma was adorable, and nothing about their romance felt forced or rushed. The issues they faced tore at my heartstrings, but it made their bond even stronger. Everything about it worked perfectly for me, and I can't recommend it enough.
Rating: 5/5
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