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bryiennefaye's reviews
463 reviews
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
4.0
"Actions can't be reversed within a lifetime, however much we try..."
I guess one of the most powerful things that this book taught me is how humans tend to dwell so much on the 'what-ifs' and regrets in our lives—"Perhaps if I only chose 'this', I would not have ended up in this situation." And the thing is, it's okay to regret things, but with the choice you have made, greater opportunities are waiting for you. You might not be able to reverse your actions, but at the end of the day, you still have you who can make things possible.
I guess one of the most powerful things that this book taught me is how humans tend to dwell so much on the 'what-ifs' and regrets in our lives—"Perhaps if I only chose 'this', I would not have ended up in this situation." And the thing is, it's okay to regret things, but with the choice you have made, greater opportunities are waiting for you. You might not be able to reverse your actions, but at the end of the day, you still have you who can make things possible.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
4.0
This book had me swooning the whole time I was reading it. It was so fun, cute, and hot at the same time.
What had me head over heels while reading this is how authentic and realistic the characters are. I love how the spotlight was given to both characters—showing their passions; and how unique they are individually and together.
The hero, Michael Phan, is so dreamy and hot. I love how he's so caring not only to Stella but also to his family. But I gotta say, the heroine, Stella Lane, is who I fell in love with most in this book. Her character is just too real—she's everything good in one person. Plus, she's a woman working in STEM, a literal girlboss.
Also, I love the gender role reversal that this book has; but I guess the insta-love trope is the one thing I wasn't 'in' it for in this book. But overall, the plot, the characters, and the spice in this book are *chef's kiss*.
What had me head over heels while reading this is how authentic and realistic the characters are. I love how the spotlight was given to both characters—showing their passions; and how unique they are individually and together.
The hero, Michael Phan, is so dreamy and hot. I love how he's so caring not only to Stella but also to his family. But I gotta say, the heroine, Stella Lane, is who I fell in love with most in this book. Her character is just too real—she's everything good in one person. Plus, she's a woman working in STEM, a literal girlboss.
Also, I love the gender role reversal that this book has; but I guess the insta-love trope is the one thing I wasn't 'in' it for in this book. But overall, the plot, the characters, and the spice in this book are *chef's kiss*.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
4.0
4.5 stars
I will be sitting at the corner of the room and think about how I will never experience this kind of enemies-to-lovers arc.
The witty banter, the one-line jokes, the angst, and the palpable tension in this book are IMMACULATE. The development of Lucy and Josh's relationship is just EVERYTHING—from being each others' arch-nemesis to having that deep connection. Although I love Lucy's quirkiness, Josh really had me when And honestly, I was so willing to offer my heart and soul for Josh to break and step on when the author described him as Clark Kent.
I will be sitting at the corner of the room and think about how I will never experience this kind of enemies-to-lovers arc.
The witty banter, the one-line jokes, the angst, and the palpable tension in this book are IMMACULATE. The development of Lucy and Josh's relationship is just EVERYTHING—from being each others' arch-nemesis to having that deep connection. Although I love Lucy's quirkiness, Josh really had me when
Spoiler
he took care of Lucy after the paintball scene and even called his brother, a doctor, to make sure that she'd be fine. Also, don't get me started with the meaning behind his room's color; that shit was the most romantic thing ever.
Simmer Down by Sarah Echavarre Smith
3.0
This book had no right to make me hungry throughout the story!
This follows the story of Nikki DiMarco, who quit her dream job to help her mother manage her Filipino food truck in Maui. Everyone loved their dishes until Callum James parked his food truck next to hers and started stealing her customers. From there, she finds herself in a public feud with Callum; and a competition that will decide their fate—whoever wins the Maui Food Festival will be the one to keep the beach parking spot.
What I really love about this book is its representation because, in all honesty, it's tough to find a book where one of the main characters is a Filipino. So, this was really one of the things I really enjoyed about the story. Also, I have a love-hate relationship with this book because of the constant mention of lumpia and pansit. Imagine how hungry I get every time I'm reading this before I sleep!
I really liked the writing and how it was so easy to follow. Totally loved and enjoyed the start of this book but got disinterested halfway through it because I find it lacking some angst as the story progresses.
This follows the story of Nikki DiMarco, who quit her dream job to help her mother manage her Filipino food truck in Maui. Everyone loved their dishes until Callum James parked his food truck next to hers and started stealing her customers. From there, she finds herself in a public feud with Callum; and a competition that will decide their fate—whoever wins the Maui Food Festival will be the one to keep the beach parking spot.
What I really love about this book is its representation because, in all honesty, it's tough to find a book where one of the main characters is a Filipino. So, this was really one of the things I really enjoyed about the story. Also, I have a love-hate relationship with this book because of the constant mention of lumpia and pansit. Imagine how hungry I get every time I'm reading this before I sleep!
I really liked the writing and how it was so easy to follow. Totally loved and enjoyed the start of this book but got disinterested halfway through it because I find it lacking some angst as the story progresses.
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
2.0
1.5 stars rounded up
The tension between me and DNFing this book at 40%.
I was quite intrigued by how hyped this book is on booktok, but finishing this had me questioning why and how did that happen. This felt like I was reading a book that showed me how to figure out when something is toxic or a red flag. Also, the writing is so dull, which really puts me off and had me so bored and just wanting to be finish with it.
One star for the spice and filth, and point five for the fact that I liked that the characters started off as penpals, but the rest was 'eh' and even less than mediocre for me.
The tension between me and DNFing this book at 40%.
I was quite intrigued by how hyped this book is on booktok, but finishing this had me questioning why and how did that happen. This felt like I was reading a book that showed me how to figure out when something is toxic or a red flag. Also, the writing is so dull, which really puts me off and had me so bored and just wanting to be finish with it.
One star for the spice and filth, and point five for the fact that I liked that the characters started off as penpals, but the rest was 'eh' and even less than mediocre for me.