brookeisbusyreading's reviews
340 reviews

Scrappy Rough Draft: Use science to strategically motivate yourself & finish writing your book by Crystal Hunt, Donna Barker, Eileen Cook

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hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Newsletter Ninja 2: If You Give a Reader a Cookie: Supercharge Your Author Mailing List With the Perfect Reader Magnet by Tammi Labrecque

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi Labrecque

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funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Wolfsong by TJ Klune

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

After coming to a printing error in my fancy special edition hardback of this book where ~30 pages had been printed incorrectly, I managed to finish it thanks to KU. So now I don’t have said hardback…which is okay?

I know this is a really popular series…but I feel very meh about this book. And apparently the other books are told from different characters that I’m not all that interested in reading about (except Carter—I’m very interested in his perspective).

Things I Liked:

The setting and worldbuilding (reminded me of how the werewolves and pack thing was done in Twilight movies)
The found family dynamic
Thomas Fucking Bennett
Mark’s role in the whole story
Using colors to represent emotions
The two and a half times this book ripped my heart out then apologized and did it again
SOME of the repetition
Richard Collins’s evil-ness
Carter and Kelly’s brotherhood

Things I Disliked:

~95% of the repetition (I got very annoyed so many times but occasionally it would work)
Being beaten over the head with how Ox’s dad told him he’s “gonna get shit”, Joe’s explanation of how much Ox means to him, and Joe’s traumatic experience (all said pretty much word for word over and over again, I might add)
The idea of tethers seeming like they’re important but getting drowned out by the Alpha stuff
The possessiveness, especially with Joe (I get the bonding thing and I was all for it at the start of the story, but it does get controlling by the end.)
THE 20-OR-HOWEVER-MANY PAGE DETAILED SEX SCENE (Yes, I know this is an adult book but I wasn’t expecting it to be THAT detailed. Also, I don’t know, I felt that scene cheapened another scene later on.)

Overall, I’m really just disappointed that I didn’t enjoy it like I was hoping to. I don’t see myself continuing the series but I might revisit it later.

Content Warnings

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Okay but I DEVOURED this book? I would’ve read it in one night if I didn’t have to get up for work today. When I say I flew through it - hook, line, sinker, and any other fishing lingo necessary - I mean I FLEW THROUGH IT.

It was nice to feel like I could see both sides of the fence Oliver and Will were on. Plus, their interactions were fucking adorable, COME ONNN!!

Where the book started was refreshing from other queer romances, and I certainly appreciated it. It also turns out that I have If This Gets Out, which Sophie and Cale Dietrich co-authored, on my shelf so I’m excited to read that one too! I enjoyed Only Mostly Devastated and Sophie’s writing style and will be keeping an eye on future novels!

Content Warnings

Runaway Train by Simon Doyle

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dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Okay, so I was expecting some angst and this book delivered. BUT THE BANTER!!!!! I’m a sucker for the teasing banter between love interests (especially enemies or rivals to lovers) and it works so well between Denis and Oliver!

I will say there’s some heavy stuff here. I’m glad Simon added trigger warnings because I have personally experienced and it let me prepare myself. The whole grumpy x sunshine, lost puppy, and Mr. I’m Not As Perfect As You Think themes blended nicely as well.

Runaway Train certainly feels like a “beginning” story - like this is just the start of a long journey for Denis and Oliver. (As long as it doesn’t make me as frustrated or disappointed as Husband Material did with Luc, this is going to be a more enjoyable series for me!) I seriously cannot wait to read Runaway Ridge!

Content Warnings

Laughing Under the Clouds, Volume 6 by Kemuri Karakara

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This series is incredible. The style is beautiful and the characters are lovable, but it’s the relationship between the Kumo brothers that sold me. It’s so pure and strong. I truly want more of LUTC! I’m glad it got a mini movie series too!

Laughing Under the Clouds Vol. 4 by Kemuri Karakara

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced