WWW Wednesday [4-13-22]

April 13, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 3 Comments

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m finally back with another WWW Wednesday. My Grandma passed away last week, and other than that work has been really busy. After taking some time to heal by myself, writing is helping me heal some more, so I am back!

Currently reading: I got an ARC of Island Time by Georgia Clark a while ago, and it’s coming out in June so I’m slowly working through it. It’s a lot different than I thought it would be, which isn’t inherently bad, but I definitely had to adjust my expectations. Very slow so far, but I’m hoping to finish by next week. I’ve also been listening to A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow. I borrowed the audiobook from the library, and it’s been a great read while I work out or play video games. The characters are so sweet, and I intend to finish within the next few days.

Recently finished: With everything going on with my grandma last week, I didn’t feel much like reading. So, I haven’t finished anything recently. I did start Ana Huang’s Twisted Love while mourning, but it really was not what I wanted from a romance. I don’t see myself picking that one up again.

Reading next: I’m kinda up in the air. I’m a mood reader, but I usually know what I wanted to read next. Right now, though, I just don’t know what I want in general. I do know that I have been thinking about reading G. R. Macallister’s Scorpica for a while now, so it might be time to pick that up. We shall see.

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

[REVIEW] You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

April 4, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

To paraphrase Chandler Ainsley’s review of this novel, it was bizarre, but I didn’t hate it. I didn’t hate this novel at all, and in fact, I finished this novel feeling like my heart had grown two sizes.

Naomi and Nicholas are engaged but they hate each other, or so Naomi thinks. She is set on being the worst fiancée she can be in order to get Nicholas to call off the wedding. Obviously, this doesn’t really go as planned.

Admittedly, the beginning of this book made me kinda sad. I could see that there was a huge misunderstanding on each of the love interests’ parts. I was honestly a little confused on how they got there after just two years and having already committed to getting married.

The beginning was a little rough, but when it turned around, BOY did it turn around. Sarah Hogle is incredible at writing sweet moments between two characters. I almost started tearing up at how sweet Nicholas and Naomi became towards each other.

The one thing I don’t think I’ll get over is how Naomi was treating Nicholas when it just seemed like he was needing support. It was also just felt like it was written with the intention of being quirky which can sometimes put me off. The second half of the book was so, so worth it though, and I absolutely recommend this as a fun and unique romance for anyone who needs something new.

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Find You Deserve Each Other at a local bookseller on IndieBound.

March Wrap-Up

April 1, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This month was a prime example of why I absolutely cannot be held to a set TBR every month. I don’t know how y’all do it. I had a plan for my reading when I went on vacation mid-March, and it went completely out the window when I actually got to my destination.

I really wanted to reread all of the FBAA series so that I could read The War of Two Queens when it came out. I think I got so caught up in the drama surrounding the contents of this book (I got spoiled, unsurprisingly), that I just didn’t want to deal with the series at that moment. I definitely do want to keep going with my reread, though.

Aside from all that, I had a pretty good reading month! I read 8 books (4 of which I finished this past week!).

March Favorites:

All of these are enemies-to-lovers in some way which is my favorite favorite of all time trope. So, it’s really no surprise that these are my favorites this month.

March Least Favorite:

I honestly feel bad putting Dream On with Ramón and Julieta just because I really, really disliked the latter. But both did nothing for me, and I need to say they were both my least favorite.

The Rest:

FBAA would be a favorite, but it was just a reread so it’s in this category. The rest of these, I enjoyed but they weren’t anything too special. I don’t see myself coming back to these at any point.

Have you read any of the books on my March Wrap-Up? What did you think of them?

[REVIEW] The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

March 29, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 2 Comments

Y’all. Y’ALL. I will never understand why this book has such a low rating (for a romance) on Goodreads. I know the writing is a little more flowery than most romance novels, but seriously, everything about this book was a win for me.

Katrina and Nathan, former co-writers of an international bestseller, want nothing to do with each other after a previous falling out. The two are forced to finish their publishing contract for one more book, live together on a writing retreat, and face the reality of what they mean to the other.

Y’all, THIS is the level of angst I need in a romance!! I was completely giddy while reading this wondering who would slip up first in their game to avoid the past.

There is something that is so rarely done in romance novels which is capturing the complexity of a feud between two people, especially between those that are in a relationship. I often find that complications that arise in most romance novels are so simple and easy to understand–the solution is essentially served to you. This is not reality. Fights often have two sides that are not so easily reconciled–two people might think they are arguing about two completely different things.

Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka do an incredible job of capturing this complexity. I was blown away by the collision of Katrina and Nathan.

I do think the ending reveal was a bit anticlimactic, but the buildup was so good that I honestly could not care less.

Needless to say, this will definitely be one of my top favorites for the year.

Rating: ★★★★★

Find The Roughest Draft at an independent bookseller near you on IndieBound.

[REVIEW] Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

March 28, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

In 1817 Edinburgh, a young woman, Hazel Sinnett, is destined by birth to marry her cousin and be the lady of his estate despite her dreams of becoming a surgeon. Jack Currer exhumes recently buried graves and sells the remains to surgeons looking for practice. The two come together to help each other and the city, not knowing they are at the center of something sinister happening around them.

Schwartz’s writing style made me so excited to read this story. I really felt the atmosphere she was trying to create of 19th century Edinburgh. The medical descriptions were along with the care taken to deliver Hazel’s passion for surgery were exquisite. I think I could have read a whole novel just about Hazel’s professional career.

I really ended up enjoying the mystery that Schwartz sets up within the Anatomist’s Society as well. I knew something was up, but I couldn’t really pin what. These were the most enjoyable parts of this novel.

Upon finishing, I wasn’t really sure why this is considered a love story. The medical aspects and the mystery seemed to me the focus, and the romance felt like it was just thrown in there at the end. I honestly did not even really feel a connection between the two except for a strong friendship. I wonder if this is due to it being a Young Adult novel, in which case this part maybe is not meant for me to enjoy so much and is fine.

Overall, though, I loved the writing and the vibe I got from this book as well as the characterizations of everyone. I’ll be looking out for other stories from Dana Schwartz.

Have you read this novel? What did you think about it?

Rating: ★★★1/2

Find this book at a local book retailer on IndieBound.

[REVIEW] Ramón and Julieta by Alana Albertson

March 9, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

I was excited for this book when I first heard about it. I looove food-centric stories. I was even excited still when I read the not-so-great reviews for it. Sometimes I enjoy romances that no one else seems to like.

I was so incredibly disappointed by this one. I DNF’d at 63%, something I try to never do. I mean, I got more than halfway through, you’d think I could just suck it up and finish at that point, right?

I could read a story with the worst descriptive writing in the world, and as long as the dialogue was good and realistic, I could still enjoy it. I’m pretty sure every book I have ever DNF’d has had the worst dialogue in it.

Ramón and Julieta talked to each other like they were reading from a script written by middle schoolers. I was really enjoying the description of the setting and the story otherwise, but I just could not get past how the characters talked. Not even just how they talked, but I couldn’t believe Julieta would be so ready to work with, let alone start dating, Ramón right way. I was so confused by her actions. She didn’t even seem that conflicted about working with the man who owns a chain that stole your family recipe.

Also, I know it was the point of the story, but I will just never, ever find businessmen hot. Ramón had the charisma of a Baked Lays chip.

I’m giving it two stars, though, because I actually did enjoy the beginning enough to keep reading.

Rating: ★★

[REVIEW] Dream On by Angie Hockman

March 3, 2022March 2, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release date: July 5, 2022

After surviving a car accident, Cass wakes up from a coma remembering a boyfriend who doesn’t exist. After a year, she meets the man of her dreams and it SEEMS like fate.

The concept for this had me sooo hopeful. It reminded me of fanfics I’ve read in the past and loved, so I was so excited to be approved for an eARC of this one.

I really enjoyed that this book did not play into fate, and maybe the man of Cass’s dreams really isn’t all that. It was very different from what I was expecting. I loved Cass and Brie, especially their friendship.

Unfortunately, I felt this book was just missing something. I wanted more interaction between Cass and the love interest to make their falling in love more believable. It just felt like there wasn’t much substance to them. I know I’m always saying this, but there NEEDS to be more tension for me to be super into two main love interests. There just wasn’t too much to get excited about with this one.

It was a cute story about Cass’s development and fate, though, and I’d recommend it to someone who doesn’t like much spice in their romance reads.

Rating: ★★★

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WWW Wednesday [3-2-22]

March 2, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: Doing my reread of From Blood and Ash before the release of The War of Two Queens in two weeks!! It’s been a bit slow going so far because of work. I’m about 100 pages in and I love it just as much as I did the first time I read it. Hope to really get into it and finish it this week so I can move onto the second and third books.

Recently finished: Dream On is an eARC I got from NetGalley that I decided to read a bit early. It took me a while to finish; I just was not that into it. It was a cute romance, but I’m glad to be moving on from it.

Reading next: Aside from the FBAA series, Ramón and Julieta came in from the library this week, so I’ll be picking it up to read on my Kindle. It doesn’t have the best reviews, but I’m hoping the spice will make up for it!

Have you read any of these? What are you currently reading?

[REVIEW] Don’t Overthink This by Kelly Piazza

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release date: April 19, 2022

CW: addiction, suicide

Matty, almost overcome by his oxycodone addiction, has lost everyone in his life–family, friends, and his girlfriend of ten years, Keelie. We see him struggle to survive and take his life back from pills and the ways in which his actions have affected other people.

This book was heartbreaking, beautiful, and so, so hopeful all at once. I am so glad for this book. I was a bit wary, I’ll admit, going into this one. It can be tough to handle addiction well, with grace and honesty. Piazza handles it with so much more. Within the first few pages of this book, I was on the brink of tears. Addiction is tough–for the person it afflicts and those around them. We really see Matty hit rock bottom, and he really earns his redemption.

The struggle was so well written I did not want to put this book down.

I do wish we had seen more of a struggle after he gets sober and reconnects with Keelie. I felt that the second half of the book went by a little too quickly and came with an easy resolution. This story would’ve felt that much sweeter with a little more tension before Matty was fully redeemed.

Aside from this one tiny qualm, I am so happy this book exists and that I was able to read it.

Rating: ★★★★.25/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Foxglove Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[REVIEW] You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

February 18, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I loooooved this book! What a cute romance about two telenovela stars! Jasmine and Ashton are thrown together on the set of a new series and obviously can’t help falling for each other.

What I liked:

I really enjoyed both Ashton and Jasmine as characters and seeing their arcs as they deal with past trauma. I really felt their growth as they came together and learned from one another.
The representation!! So much Latinx rep which I don’t see very often in romance novels. It was really cool to see more Puerto Rican culture with these characters as they navigate being celebrities of color.
Telenovelas!!! Need I say more??

What I didn’t like as much:

Dual POVs. I really never like dual POVs in a romance. I think it really takes away any tension you could have had when you know every thought and feeling from both sides.
I also wish there was just ONE more good scene between Jasmine and Ashton before they really fell for each other. I kinda felt like we skipped from being strangers to falling in love, and just one extra scene could’ve helped their relationship to flow more for the readers.

Overall, I think Daria is a great write and this was cute! I’ll definitely be picking up her next book following Jasmine’s cousin.