juliajjshields's reviews
396 reviews

this resonated unexpectedly aggressively at the time of reading. I usually am a sucker for these types of stories and appreciate what they force the reader to contend with in a way that’s beautifully written. 

There were so many elements here. I appreciated the intersecting storylines and plots; the wider web was woven together so delicately. I found myself getting quite frustrated at times by Anthony’s character and Jack but it was all because it felt too similar to where we are at now. Some of it felt a bit too on the nose, but I was still a fan of the storyline of Amie, Maura, Nina & Ben. This entire book was a strong allegory for what our world currently is. A heavy, but hopeful one. I’m looking forward to processing this with others aloud at our b3 book club. This is my first book since joining & what a way to start. 

3.25✨ I think this was the best one yet! I love when books go back and forth in timeline & I appreciated Alessandra as a character stepping up for herself & what she wants. I was lost on the whole Roman side plot lmao & felt it was a bit messy but for the most part I enjoyed this story. Considering this is my third book of Huang’s, I’m realizing I’m not really a fan of her storytelling as it feels scattered to me but it’s entertaining nevertheless so I shall continue reading lol

3.25✨ I ate this one up on the plane. Isabella & Kai’s love story was much more my vibe. I love the quieter and creative introvert with the lively & warm extrovert. I liked the banter between the two and the development of their relationship, but wasn’t a fan of the second act conflict (break up) it just felt silly & unnecessary. Overall though, it was a fun one that sucked me in. Loved the sub plots for Isabella with her book & the CEO scandal. Definitely made things more fun! 

3.25✨ summer is for romance & spice!! heard chatter about this series & thought what better time than now to begin. I’m feeling like I’ll enjoy the others maybe a bit more since this type of forced proximity / arranged marriage trope thing isn’t my cup of tea. I also didn’t really like Dante as an mmc…just too possessive & vengeful which I get was key to his character & being a king of wrath but was a bit much for me. 
The spice however had me audibly gasp I could not believe what I was reading lmaooo. I also felt that the build up was a bit too insta love after having sex once but by the end I was giddy about their love story. The second half of the book—Vivian finding out about the blackmail & onward—were so much better than the first half.

while I was such a fun of this one, the ending fell a bit flat for me so I’m feelin a bit meh writing the review buT overall so cutie and spicy and warm !! Lauren Asher slayed the nanny single dad trope bravo big fan who would’ve thought ! loved the complexity of the characters backstories. Big yes from me that both characters had gone to therapy and were moving through their traumatic pasts. while I didn’t like the dreamland billionaire series, this lakefront series is my cup of tea. The setting makes all the difference & I love a waterfront town!! would recommend this series to anyone who wants a light hearted yet engaging summer romance 

we love a lesbian supernatural time travel romance!!! I absolutely adored this one. It took some time to move through but I found it so lovely & just when I thought something was predictable, things took a different turn. I absolutely loved Jane & August together🥹 the spice yall? phew I was shook!! This story & all of its characters were such beautiful portrayals of queer romance & community. the plot was so intricate and unique aH thoroughly enjoyed it do recommend 

WOW. absolutely obsessed with this!!! highly recommend the audiobook narrated by the author. She brought it to life & I had so much fun listening. I audibly reacted, jaw was on the floor & found myself smiling at her musings. This is such an evocative story. I learned so much of sociopathy, unpacked my own societal teachings/understandings, and exercised empathy with individuals like David who when hearing about his reactions, made me so angry, but through reflection and Patric’s writing was able to totally understand how difficult it would be to be in a relationship with a sociopath lol. I felt all the emotions while listening to this—while trying to imagine what it is like to feel none of them—and just absolutely commend the author for her vulnerability and courage. 

I’ve already talked to so many people about it which for me is a sign of a good book- something you can’t get off your mind. Already know this is top 10 for me this year!!

3.75✨this was my first Leigh Bardugo book & it won’t be my last ! I enjoyed the storytelling and layers to this story. I don’t know too much about the Spanish inquisition so I didn’t feel I was able to appreciate the research that went into the historical fiction aspect but was a fan of the magic elements.This was a bit longer of a read as I picked it up every now and then amidst running around traveling. I wasn’t blown away but I was engaged & intrigued. book besties pls read this so we can discuss because there were layers fr! definitely want to read her ninth house series next

4.25✨ is it summer if I don’t read an Elin hilderbrand book? Last summer I also read a book of hers while in France with my family & it was lovely to go back into her stories. while her writing isn’t anything special and at times feels quite young, it’s captivating and so much fun. She has a lovely way of describing summer and Nantucket and interweaving various stories and characters. I loved it!! 

+ this was my first read on my kindle! I will forever be a tangible book person but I had bought a kindle for when I travel since carrying around 10+ books isn’t ideal. I actually liked it! Won’t be my go to but it was so convenient and nice to read outside.

Really enjoyed the ghost element of the story and all the characters. Truly so fun and lighthearted!

3.5✨ this was a lovely listen. each chapter was a story from a different bookseller or librarian which I just adored! definitely deepened my appreciation and continued to affirm my enthusiasm for libraries and books in general. I didn’t feel it was very “secret lives” but rather simply short stories. I found the different sections of the book to be interesting as I felt any of the stories couldn’t fit into any of the sections…maybe I missed something? Regardless, listening was cool with all of the different voices and people reading! Would recommend this to anyone’s tbr but no need to push it to the top of the list