endemictoearth's reviews
3993 reviews

Nerdy Dirty Valentine by Skylar M. Cates

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Play It Cool, Guys, Vol. 1 by Kokone Nata

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Not That Ridiculous by Isabel Murray

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think this is my favorite book of the series, but might have to reread them all to check. This has the sort of grumpy/sunshine pairing I love. A grump who's really just introverted and overwhelmed, but has a soft spot for one special person. And the sunshine has hidden depths and a unexpectedly perceptive view of himself.

I actually laughed out loud at this one (I'm sure Murray has made me laugh before now, but these are truly funny books, with equal emphasis on both Rom and Com.) I mean, yes, it's ridiculous, but it's meant to be. 

Also, I love awkward moments of intimacy where they work through it . . . we get a couple great scenes in this book. I'm not one for picture perfect
first times
, and was so glad to read one that felt plausibly fumbling to start. Murray deploys the single POV with great success, as well. 

Had a great time with this, would have read it in one sitting if I didn't have to work--made my day!
Our Own Light by Logan Sage Adams

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I like that this author was going for something different. The setting is really interesting (West Virginia mining town in the early 1920s.) And the conflict wasn't just keeping their relationship from the other miners/townspeople, but that Floyd feels disloyal to his first love, Matt, who died years ago. While I didn't love every single authorial choice, I was intrigued enough to keep going and am glad I did. 

(And I liked her second book even more!)
Only For The Week by Natasha Bishop

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was very cute! And steamy, too, but what I loved most was how Janelle and Rome were so good to and for each other. Also, I actually laughed out loud reading this, which is rare for me. A really fun book that still has some gravitas from the family entanglements. (And I'm happy to see Janelle be firm with her mother and sister.) Wondering who might be the next book in the series . . . 
The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
I was really bored, which almost never happens for me, and looking at some reviews, I saw that this was originally short stories that were hastily connected up into a novel. I'm happy it works for so many people, but I decided to cut my losses early.
Pumped by Linden Bell

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

3.25

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, so was happy to request the third book as an ARC. I was taken aback at how we're introduced to the characters that we know are about to die in an accident, and then we are plunged deep into grief with the two MCs as they mourn their siblings and struggle to understand how to move on and assume the great responsibility of raising their niece together.

In a way, I admire the author for delving into the grief, but I also was not expecting it from the tone of the first two books. It also means that their relationship when we do get it, feels a bit unbalanced with everything else going on. Their romance is very intense, on both sides, and at times seemed overwhelming. I think that this will work for a lot of people who love to feel that sweeping all-consuming love in their romance, but I struggled at times.

One thing that gave me pause was one of the characters being upset about donating his sister's organs, and saying that the hospital didn't try hard enough to save her bc they wanted the donations and while there was a half-hearted walking back of that (and, yes, he's very distraught) it just rubbed me the wrong way and felt unnecessary. 

Overall, I think this was well-told and would recommend it with the caveat that the person knew a bit more of what they were getting into. 

Sincere thanks to GRR for the review copy
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My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

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challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Belkin Lake by Angelique Jurd

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emotional reflective sad
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Cyclopedia Exotica by Aminder Dhaliwal

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challenging lighthearted
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0