Jewel is a favorite author of mine, and I devour anything she writes that I can get my hands on, but this was not it for me. I suspect she knew this bJewel is a favorite author of mine, and I devour anything she writes that I can get my hands on, but this was not it for me. I suspect she knew this book would be controversial and accepted in various ways, and I respect her for having the guts to write it, I just couldn’t get on board with a couple of things, and while I will keep any major spoilers in tags, if you’re wanting to go in completely blind without any sense of what this book is about, you should stop reading this review right here. If you’re on the fence, check out other reviewers content/trope warnings before diving in. If I had done that, I think I would have just skipped this one.
For disclosure purposes, I purchased an audiobook copy of this book as it was released earlier than the kindle and print formats, so I am not providing feedback from a gifted, advance review copy.
The first issue I had with the book happens in the first and second chapters, so I don’t consider it a spoiler to discuss, but again, please stop here if you want to know absolutely nothing about this book before diving in. Our couple starts out not a couple, as Indigo is 10 years old and Milo is 18. Jewel is a fantastic author, and I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt that she did not intend to set up the narrative as it comes across. What I assume we are supposed to sense is a protective, platonic bond that grows into something romantic MANY YEARS down the road, but the information included in these chapters being stacked the way that they are gives off major grooming vibes.
Indigo gives us some inner monologue into how she has a major crush on Milo, and following the funeral of her adoptive mother, Milo takes indie to his living quarters to care for her until her adoptive father has some time to process what has happened. This chapter includes snippets where Milo begins to undress and change in front of her (no nudity below the waist) before heading to another room, which then prompts Indigo to remember “how she saw his penis and testicles over the summer through the wetness of his swimsuit” (this almost exact phrasing is used more than once), followed by Indigo feeling scared and lonely, unable to sleep due to her grief, and Milo crawls into bed with her to hold her through the night. These are all innocent pieces of information separately, but pieced together in the flow that they are written, as a mother of a 10 year old girl made me sick to my stomach. I cannot image how none of Jewel’s Alpha/Beta readers or editors caught this, assuming there were these early readers included?
There is a trope later on once the book has made good headway that will definitely be a make or break for some readers: (view spoiler)[OW/cheating, depending on how you look at it (hide spoiler)] I won’t get into spoilers here, as this feels more personal preference than actually problematic material, but I was so exhausted with Milo’s shenanigans and Indigo being a doormat by the end of this book that I had to sit on my thoughts before reviewing. If you have a specific questions about this portion of the story, feel free to message me for discussion.
I’m so disappointed that this wasn’t the book I’ve been anticipating for months, but we all won’t connect with every book our favorite authors write. Aside from the disappointment of the initial set up of the relationship, I’ll be cautiously anticipating Jewel’s next release.
A moment of silence please for this absolute stunner of a cover. Going into this book, I knew”Flowers are better than people.”
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
A moment of silence please for this absolute stunner of a cover. Going into this book, I knew that Julie Soto is a fanfic darling, but I hadn’t experienced her writing for myself. Pleased to report that this was a wonderful traditionally published debut!
The drama behind the celebrity wedding in the present tense, the visuals my mind conjured when the floral meetings were described, and Elliot just being *cough* Elliot were all strong aspects of the novel. I haven’t read many romance novels with a wedding planning setting, and it was fun getting to experience the ins and outs of what goes on behind the scenes, while also seeing Ama and Elliot’s creative genius at play. The narrators for the audiobook are fabulous, and the steam is ...more
Give me all the juicy, con artist dramas, please and thank you! Stone Cold Fox is an edge-of-your-seat game of cat-and-mouse, the type of story where Give me all the juicy, con artist dramas, please and thank you! Stone Cold Fox is an edge-of-your-seat game of cat-and-mouse, the type of story where the pages practically turn themselves. The audiobook narration really added to the atmosphere of the book, so I highly recommend listening if that format works for you. The social commentary of the haves vs. the have nots is on full display, but I appreciated how every person in this book really is despicable on some level. My only gripe is that the ending felt a bit rushed and underwhelming, but overall a solid, fun read!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy....more
Fall always evokes a desperation in me for cozy mysteries, and while the cozy aspect is more in the food related aspects of the story, this fit the biFall always evokes a desperation in me for cozy mysteries, and while the cozy aspect is more in the food related aspects of the story, this fit the bill pretty well. I had a blast buddy reading this with Carmen from @Tomesandtextiles, because she has firsthand experience with the Miami Cuban culture and I was able to ask all kinds of questions and learn new things along the way.
Miriam was a fun character to follow, and I fell in love with her portrayal of food as a love language. The murderer was pretty easy to spot, and I wasn't a fan of the side plot involving the miscommunication trope (as many before me have stated), but the atmosphere and overall vibe was enough to leave me wanting to purchase the next book instantly, while also intriguing me to try and make some of the recipes included at the end of the story.
A solid debut, and I'm looking forward to more character building with Miriam, her family, and her friends in Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking....more
”The more I learn about Moore and his career path, the more I start to get a fuller picture of who he was. Beyond the BS rules that he enforced harder”The more I learn about Moore and his career path, the more I start to get a fuller picture of who he was. Beyond the BS rules that he enforced harder and harder at Promise, he seemed like the kind of guy who liked to be admired… He look at dudes like J.B. And Trey and Ramon and saw something…wrong with them. Something that needed to be crushed into a box, breaking all the bones to make them fit.”
Promise BoysPromise Boys is a fast paced YA thriller that weaves together an important narrative of racism and privilege, and what it means to not only be accused of something you didn’t do, but have all the odds stacked against you because of this disparity. Once I saw that the author is practically a “neighbor” of mine (his D.C. to my Northern VA), I knew I had to read this one sooner rather than later, as I love a setting I can really visualize from visiting.
It’s a short read with zero fluff, and the unique format of storytelling between many different POVs and multimedia inserts is fascinating. I did have part of the whodunnit figured out early on, but the rest really got me which is a feat many mysteries don’t do for me anymore. If you listen to audiobooks, I highly recommend tickling your eardrums with this full cast feature production. Seriously, the bar is now set incredibly high and I will forever be comparing future listening sessions to this one. If you want a fast read that includes deep, timely content that EVERYONE needs to hear, please do yourself a favor and pick up this book in whatever format floats your boat.
”We are the young men of Promise Prep. We are destined for greatness. We deserve joy. We are extraordinary. We ask from the world what we give to the world; respect, wisdom, and grace. We are each other’s hope. We are responsible for our futures. We promise.”
TW (including, but not limited to and these will include spoilers: (view spoiler)[racism, references to gang violence, murder, parental neglect/abuse, substance abuse, police brutality, theft of funds, mention of a hand gun, bullying. (hide spoiler)]
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy....more
”You are in all of my happiest places. You are where my mind goes when it needs to be soothed.”
Angsty Perfection. Emotional Damage. Hopeful Second Cha”You are in all of my happiest places. You are where my mind goes when it needs to be soothed.”
Angsty Perfection. Emotional Damage. Hopeful Second Chances.
How is it possible to sum up your feelings on a book that you were sure wouldn’t be for you, but ended up being a guaranteed top read of the year instead? Let me explain.
I’ve been reviewing books for many years now, and over time I’ve become more jaded with each new release that has an overwhelming hype train behind it. Typically, the pushy nature of READTHISBOOKPLZZZZZ that comes with a huge fan base tends to turn on my rebellious nature and make me want to not read it or like it even more. I cannot explain this phenomenon, nor do I defend it, but I have a feeling I’m not the only reviewer who tends to duck and run when hyped books are saturating every bit of your online footprint. Couple that with the fact that I like to try and champion books from either debut authors or without a large marketing budget behind them as often as possible (this is not a pat on the back, just a personal passion of mine), and I do not tend to fit in as many of the big books of the season that I used to. I managed to make it through Emily Henry’s first three releases without caving, but something about Happy Place caused me to rethink my decision, and I’m so grateful that I stopped being a stubborn turd and embraced this emotional journey. (Yes, I am now the proud owner of all four of EmHen’s adult releases.)
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So how did I come about requesting this book? Well, aside from the FOMO that had built continuously, the marketing of friends-to-lovers-to-enemies really got me, and the fact that this was being paraded as her angstiest book yet (I love a good tummy turmoil romance) sealed the deal. Also, the cover had nothing to do with it. Nope. Not at all. I thought I was getting a fun, summer romance that I’d enjoy, but would ultimately be forgettable in a sea of illustrated covers, but color me surprised when I discovered there was so much more here.
”Want is a kind of thief. It’s a door in your heart, and once you know it’s there, you’ll spend your life longing for whatever’s behind it.”
I don’t think there are words to describe just how much this book means to me, or how relatable I found aspects of it, but I’ll try to convey here. It’s easy to perceive from the synopsis that this is a story or what was, what is, and what might be. We receive glimpses into the past that build Harry and Wyn’s friendship-turned-romance, and we also receive present tense pov where something has gone horribly wrong, but we’re not quite sure what that is. The tension of building up to that conversation (which actually is brilliantly more than one conversation) is DIVINE, and the havoc that Henry wreaked on my emotions along the way was sinister in the best way possible.
Obviously the romance is swoons. The chemistry between Wyn and Harry is palpable, and the payoff after the pining throughout a good bit of the book is worth every bit of anxiety ridden, nail biting suspense. The journey that both characters go on together and individually is satisfying. But also? The dynamic and vibes between this group of six friends is something you can sink into. It’s what you desire if you don’t have it, and appreciate if you do. And it’s not perfect, not by a long shot. Everyone is flawed and has to work at keeping this group together.
I also really found myself in Harry’s dynamic with her parents. As someone who, for years, carried a weight of feeling like I would not be enough if I didn’t make the most of my parent’s sacrifices, this aspect of the book, while small, absolutely wrecked me. I was a sobbing mess as I went full circle on this journey with Harriet, and I’m sitting here tearing up again as I write it now.
Every single portion of this book is a hard earned happily ever after, which is just the way I like it. Maybe I’m a sellout now, but I’m definitely part of the EmHen fan club now, and I cannot wait to go and read her backlist while painfully waiting for the next book she writes. This book deserves every bit of hype that it has and will receive, and it gives me a glimmer of hope that I can still find that magical feeling of finding a new book that becomes a part of your soul, one that you carry with you on the rest of your journey here on earth and becomes part of your personality on a permanent basis.
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*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy....more
