miyaosamu's reviews
312 reviews

“Saying what you feel out loud doesn't stop those feelings. If anything, your love will only grow.”

with this rollercoaster of a hate to love romance that also has a focus on family dynamics and culture affecting dating, i absolutely enjoyed this charming, entertaining desi romance from beginning to end. definitely a switch up in the usual fake dating trope format readers are used to as our mains kareena and prem in their 30s being pushed by their family to get married even if it's not a love match.

what made this story much more interesting and fun was kareena and prem's vastly different viewpoints on the concept love with kareena being more of a dreamer believing in true love and soulmates while prem on the other hand doesn't really believe in love at all. as a surgeon who does his research, his scientific based beliefs he concludes that the feeling of love fades and a relationship can never last based on it, rather for relationships he sees it as a partnership of a good match of two people being compatible for each other. so when both find themselves in need of money on a deadline, both their parents are willing to give if both are able to find someone, where prem tries to convince kareena they could work well with the definite chemistry  they have and both getting what they need but kareena stubbornly refuses wanting to find a love match of someone who could love her back even with her short deadline.

we then see prem take rina, as he calls her, out on dates that are just so much fun to read as they take adventures truly a hopeless romantic's dream. oh and whew this one has a bit of spice i didn't see coming at all but didn't deter my love for this story and the insane tension between the mains made it all the more delightful. as they spend more and more time with one another, both of them struggle to come to terms with the growing feelings. prem frustrating as he is, i adored his subconscious romantic side with him remembering every little detail rina has told him about herself and what she loves, and with rina how when she loves, she loves deeply which is displayed how she is with her family. this story has so many laugh out loud moments especially with meddling aunties but also emotional moments particularly with rina and her widowed dad, i genuinely teared up near the end.

being the first in a series, i'm assuming we're for sure going to see the stories of rina's best friends paired up with prem's friends as clues were given out throughout this story and i'm beyond excited to read. so for anyone looking for a swiftly engaging story that pulls you right in with character banter, high tension, and nosy families, i truly recommend picking this one up!

— Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you to Flatiron Books for providing an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5☆ — this golden state being a modern-day bonnie & clyde but with kids is the absolute page turner that readers can expect! just truly hooks readers right in, as i could not put down this mystery thriller and read in one sitting. following poppy, at almost 18 has been using fake names her whole life and doesn't even know her parents' real names, it hurts to see the situation no kid should be put in and how she could never let anyone get close to her. as the family never stays in one place for more than a few months maximum definitely less if people come close to recognizing. immediately entering the story seeing the pattern of poppy's life once again being taken away from a town she was just getting used to and the toll it takes on her emotionally. their move to california is definitely one much different than their previous ones with being a location poppy has dreamed to go to and with how excited her mom is more than usual. we get to see our main take advanced math courses with a stanford professor and poppy is a character who hasn't been able to settle enough to see her potential, academically particularly and is highly intelligent in stem courses able to keep up with kids her age who took years of tutoring. but soon she meets a fellow classmate, harry that she finds herself instantly connected to him though not being able to open up completely as a family on the run yet they truly begin a whirlwind of a romance. the romantic subplot wasn't exactly my favorite i did enjoy harry's character a lot and what depth we see of him, but its more of a plot device to further poppy's search for her parents' true identities with him being her access to technology after both found each other mailing in ancestry.com dna tests. you truly feel the building tension and anxiety for poppy as the story furthers as she gets closer to the truth. with trying not to give anything away, weisenberg genuinely builds a great structure of a story with little easter eggs all throughout and weaving them all together how it connects back to the true story of poppy's parents. the only critique i have is that i agree with fellow reviews of its ending and wishing we got to see more of what comes after but i do understand that the book would have gone on for much longer if that were to happen. all in all, i think readers looking for a quick paced, mystery that keeps one at the edge of the seat will be satisfied with the rush that this golden state gives! 

this story by schumacher was truly a charming yet devastating one providing the first love heartache readers expect given the synopsis. anna and weston being two characters of complete opposites in terms of socially accepted within their small town but nevertheless see each other on a different level than most of anna's surface level friends. along with both of them struggling under the weight and eyes of pressure the small town has on them with needing to fly their wings free to do what their creativity seeks. sure this story is definitely a bit whirlwind, predictable, insta-love as it is but what was expected of a young adult novel tackling love and then grief soon after. i do wish that we were able to get more time with anna and weston since there was truly little time with them with seeing more growth in their dynamic and a bit more slow burn because i could've seen myself get more emotionally attached to them. but in spite of that, the plot twist that comes in still felt like a punch to the gut honestly, but that could just be me as a mood reader. the grief dealt with that comes after definitely could have been more drawn out but the moments between characters and the legacy left behind with its meaningful impact on the characters and how it gives a full circle to the story of anna and weston how it all started with their duet. would recommend to anyone looking for a quick, easy to breeze through read that still hits with emotion they need despite character development but still wonderful storytelling on schumacher's part being able to convey the deeper feelings and connections between characters and what could have been in another life for them. 

the levels of action and fight scenes in this one were absolutely insane. mei mei's power just stunning, no one's on nanami's level and his technique actually, and i lost it during that choso vs yuji fight. can't wait to see this all animated!! 

what do you mean *that* chapter 120 is already next... i can't do this. no because nanami protecting megumi in this chapter and those interactions between toji and megumi changed the trajectory of my mental stability genuinely. what's gonna happen next with sukuna vs. all the sorcerers im not ready at all. 

no words. i'm just in so much pain???? akutami's way with writing action scenes and technique explanations is insane genuinely with the build up just dreading possible outcomes and wanting nothing more hoping your favorites will make it out safe and alive. but oh god okay **** unboxing when?!@#! im in misery right now, scared for what's to come with how much more suffering akutami will cause me... 

3.5☆ — this was incredibly well written that i was easily consumed by this story and found myself saddened by when it came to its quick end. with its otherworldly high fantasy east asian inspired setting along with its amusing characters as they formed bonds in their adventures being hired to seek relics. i enjoyed how this story was able to touch on aspects of spirituality, one's perspective of self and along with how silent wars affect the common people with a broken system and corrupt government and religious leaders. i wish we got to see more of the mystic magical element of the order, i really do hope cho writes something based of this world she created because there's much more potential that can definitely be reached and where these characters go. 

yeah so it's definitely safe to say i've very much terribly missed reading about the world of the green bones in kekon and might have gotten a bit emotional seeing characters again that i already know and love. being the short novella it is, it positively lived up to what i expected of action, crime and clan affairs. it was so sentimental to me to be back in janloon again and see some specific characters from the main trilogy appear along with seeing different parts of the clan business, particularly with neutral clans ideology taking center stage. kaul family and the siblings my forever family, i just love them so much. the jade setting branch of jade business was interesting and how people have to come to terms with their position in constantly having to undo hard work often with duels and ending in resetting jade to different owners. and also how isin, this neutral clan jade owner deals with working with both the large rivaling clans of no peak and mountain. the jade setter of janloon is a well done structured story implementing so many different clan and political aspects that fans of the green bone saga will certainly enjoy as they return to janloon in this novella!

— Thank you to Subterranean Press for providing an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.