Scan barcode
jennireadsmaybe's reviews
651 reviews
Hide n' Seek by Ashley Pines, Ashley Pines, Eden Emory
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read Hide n' Seek at just the right time. I couldn't put it down!! It's super fast paced, but it doesn't ever feel like you're missing something important between the characters. I found it so unique because the authors turn these childhood games into a deadly competition for wealth, fame, and bragging rights. It really dark and twisted in the best way! The atmosphere, a seemingly run down amusement park, is so intense. I'm honestly not convinced I'll ever be able to go to one again without thinking of this book.
Kohl is a nonbinary hottie who's not afraid to be a good boy. Also a quick aside, I loved that the authors had a bit in the front of the book about the characters pronouns and language they preferred to use (it was so refreshing). Victoria is a badass goddess. They've both grown up in toxic households run by previous winners, so going into the games is really a last resort for both of them. Their tension jumps off the page in both present and past events. I really enjoyed both of their stories. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
Read this if you like deadly competitions, good boys, dystopian worlds, scary masks, a lot of smut, queer and nonbinary representation, no I'm serious a LOT of smut.
Kohl is a nonbinary hottie who's not afraid to be a good boy. Also a quick aside, I loved that the authors had a bit in the front of the book about the characters pronouns and language they preferred to use (it was so refreshing). Victoria is a badass goddess. They've both grown up in toxic households run by previous winners, so going into the games is really a last resort for both of them. Their tension jumps off the page in both present and past events. I really enjoyed both of their stories. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
Read this if you like deadly competitions, good boys, dystopian worlds, scary masks, a lot of smut, queer and nonbinary representation, no I'm serious a LOT of smut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, and Transphobia
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read this for a book club that I host at work; I'm not sure I would have read it otherwise, because I'm not big on the thriller genre and had heard mixed things about Freida McFadden specifically. Overall, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. My main complaints are the constant use of Nina's "mental illness" as the reason Millie thinks she's mistreating her (babes I swear you can be mentally ill and not an asshole) in the first book and the casual fatphobia "letting herself go." I will say once you get into the second part a lot of these things are explained away, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I can see why this is popular with a certain subset of booktok recommendations. Feminine rage does play a large part in Millie and Nina's lives. Honestly, I don't remember that awful white man's name; I just know he deserved what he got in the end. The Housemaid builds and builds and builds the tension for the entire first part, but once it hits that second part it's a fairly quick resolution. I generally liked it once it picked up.
Read this if you are dipping your toe into the domestic thriller genre, if you like angry women getting revenge on horrible men, and supporting women's wrongs.
I can see why this is popular with a certain subset of booktok recommendations. Feminine rage does play a large part in Millie and Nina's lives. Honestly, I don't remember that awful white man's name; I just know he deserved what he got in the end. The Housemaid builds and builds and builds the tension for the entire first part, but once it hits that second part it's a fairly quick resolution. I generally liked it once it picked up.
Read this if you are dipping your toe into the domestic thriller genre, if you like angry women getting revenge on horrible men, and supporting women's wrongs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
I don't think there is anybody doing it like Kimberly Lemming because WTF did I just read (/positive)!?!? I don't think I've laughed harder than when Dory asked why the owlish aliens didn't put a Target on the dinosaur planet
I was into it from the first page, but when she had her two fated mates throwing down for her there was no way I was reading anything else. The chemistry between Dory, Sol, and Lok is off the charts, and it's not just because they got shot with a super horny serum
Read this if you have ever asked yourself what if both aliens and dinosaurs existed on one planet and I was trapped there, alien romance, fated mates, creature comforts, and more hijinks than you've ever read before.
Bonus epilogue of Lok getting d*cked down
I was into it from the first page, but when she had her two fated mates throwing down for her there was no way I was reading anything else. The chemistry between Dory, Sol, and Lok is off the charts, and it's not just because they
Read this if you have ever asked yourself what if both aliens and dinosaurs existed on one planet and I was trapped there, alien romance, fated mates, creature comforts, and more hijinks than you've ever read before.
Bonus epilogue of Lok getting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Sexism, and Vomit
Cross the Line by Simone Soltani
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Me knowing next to nothing about F1 reading this... Am I an F1 fan now? Maybe a little. LOL. In all honesty Cross the Line is a wonderful addition to the sports romance genre. Between two biracial leads, a chronically ill FMC, and a wealth of Bollywood references, Simone Soltani unerringly gives us what the genre needs. I loved that this took the brother's best friend trope and gave us a realistic reason behind the brother's issues with the couple while also showing that sometimes it's the lying and secret keeping that does more damage to a relationship.
I've read an endless amount of grumpy x sunshine books, so it was fun to finally see a sunshine x sunshine one. They also had an established friendship that made it more believable when they finally made the move to more between them. An unrequited crush is always more fun when he ends up falling even harder than you did, and Dev certainly doesn't disappoint. Between buying a crap ton of macaroons and flying them to a different country just so she could have them, he was putting that Amex card to use. They had really great chemistry, and I wish I could've seen just a little bit more between them. A very solid debut and a new author that I will continue to read from.
Read this if you like brother's best friend, biracial and chronic illness representation, F1, sunshine x sunshine, he falls harder, workplace dynamics, and Bollywood movies.
I've read an endless amount of grumpy x sunshine books, so it was fun to finally see a sunshine x sunshine one. They also had an established friendship that made it more believable when they finally made the move to more between them. An unrequited crush is always more fun when he ends up falling even harder than you did, and Dev certainly doesn't disappoint. Between buying a crap ton of macaroons and flying them to a different country just so she could have them, he was putting that Amex card to use. They had really great chemistry, and I wish I could've seen just a little bit more between them. A very solid debut and a new author that I will continue to read from.
Read this if you like brother's best friend, biracial and chronic illness representation, F1, sunshine x sunshine, he falls harder, workplace dynamics, and Bollywood movies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Car accident
Moderate: Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
I fell in love with Ann Liang's writing when I picked up I Hope This Doesn't Find You last year. She masterfully weaves together prose and characters in a way that really sucks you into the stories she writes. I Am Not Jessica Chen has a romance element, but the central plot is a magical realism, Freaky Friday-esque, learning to love yourself when the world is constantly screaming at you to be somebody else. Honestly, it's the kind of story that is so necessary I don't think anything I say would do it justice. I love it with my whole being.
Jenna Chen is struggling. She's a fully realized character that demands you care for her, even when she's making mistakes that many teenagers and adults would make. Ann Liang tackles the complexities of Asian immigrant parents' expectations and being the model minority in a digestible manner for young adults. Jenna's romance with her childhood best friend Aaron was so sweet I cried, but it doesn't take away from Jenna's journey within herself. Gah!!! I just loved this so much. I don't think I'll recover from this book for years to come. Pretty please read it with a cherry on top.
Read this if you like books about academia, the discussion of art vs STEM, realistic and flawed young adult characters, falling in love with your best friend and yourself, stunning prose, and magical realism.
Jenna Chen is struggling. She's a fully realized character that demands you care for her, even when she's making mistakes that many teenagers and adults would make. Ann Liang tackles the complexities of Asian immigrant parents' expectations and being the model minority in a digestible manner for young adults. Jenna's romance with her childhood best friend Aaron was so sweet I cried, but it doesn't take away from Jenna's journey within herself. Gah!!! I just loved this so much. I don't think I'll recover from this book for years to come. Pretty please read it with a cherry on top.
Read this if you like books about academia, the discussion of art vs STEM, realistic and flawed young adult characters, falling in love with your best friend and yourself, stunning prose, and magical realism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Racial slurs, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Single Player by Tara Tai
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
I started and finished Single Player in one day. Between the hate to love tension between Cat and Andi and Natalie Naudus' narration, it was impossible for me to put it down! The tension between these two was off the charts from their disastrous meet cute to their first kiss. I actually got why they didn't like each other, and overcoming that dislike fit their separate character development. This is super slow burn!!! But the wait was so worth it for me. I just enjoyed these two together so much. Also, and it might be the bare minimum, I loved that Cat was constantly going to bat for Andi when they didn't like each other. Cat didn't take any of the transphobic, sexist, rhetoric from the higher ups.
I was really wrapped up in the gaming culture setting of this book. I've always been a casual gamer, but this made me want to play so many more games. I loved all the commentary on the gaming industry: how it doesn't prioritize diverse voices and how much the limited representation affects what different communities buy and play. I wish the game they were writing for was real so I could romance all the different characters. The game is obviously a huge part of the plot, but it never felt like it bogged down the romance (I would argue it moved it along because of their arguments).
Over all, Single Player is a stunning debut from Tara Tai (she/they)! I will definitely pick up anything they write from here on out. Pick this up if you like hate to love, work place romance, queer and trans representation (lesbian x enby), fat representation, navigating friends and family in your twenties, and video games of course!!!
This is me begging for a group of queer friends who will teach me how to play dnd!!!
I started and finished Single Player in one day. Between the hate to love tension between Cat and Andi and Natalie Naudus' narration, it was impossible for me to put it down! The tension between these two was off the charts from their disastrous meet cute to their first kiss. I actually got why they didn't like each other, and overcoming that dislike fit their separate character development. This is super slow burn!!! But the wait was so worth it for me. I just enjoyed these two together so much. Also, and it might be the bare minimum, I loved that Cat was constantly going to bat for Andi when they didn't like each other. Cat didn't take any of the transphobic, sexist, rhetoric from the higher ups.
I was really wrapped up in the gaming culture setting of this book. I've always been a casual gamer, but this made me want to play so many more games. I loved all the commentary on the gaming industry: how it doesn't prioritize diverse voices and how much the limited representation affects what different communities buy and play. I wish the game they were writing for was real so I could romance all the different characters. The game is obviously a huge part of the plot, but it never felt like it bogged down the romance (I would argue it moved it along because of their arguments).
Over all, Single Player is a stunning debut from Tara Tai (she/they)! I will definitely pick up anything they write from here on out. Pick this up if you like hate to love, work place romance, queer and trans representation (lesbian x enby), fat representation, navigating friends and family in your twenties, and video games of course!!!
This is me begging for a group of queer friends who will teach me how to play dnd!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Stalking, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying
Recognizing the Stranger: On Palestine and Narrative by Isabella Hammad
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
Should be required reading.
βThe Israeli government would like to destroy Palestine, but they are mistaken if they think this is really possible. Palestine is in Haifa. Palestine is in Jerusalem. Palestine is in Gaza and Palestine is in the Mediterranean Sea and Palestine is alive in the refugee camps, from Shatila to Yarmouk. Palestine is even alive and well in New York.β
βThe Israeli government would like to destroy Palestine, but they are mistaken if they think this is really possible. Palestine is in Haifa. Palestine is in Jerusalem. Palestine is in Gaza and Palestine is in the Mediterranean Sea and Palestine is alive in the refugee camps, from Shatila to Yarmouk. Palestine is even alive and well in New York.β
Fake Game by Madison Fox
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I've really come to love this series for many reasons. First and foremost, I love the friend groups; whether it's The System's hilarious, chaotic nature or all the girls getting together for murder night and having a blast, I love how much they care for each other. Since the first book, you've been able to see Madison Fox's love for gaming. Every book has a word guide of different gaming slang at the beginning and all of the games feel so real. I think it's just so neat!
Fake Game really is Deer's story at the heart. She's got a whole host of things going wrong, from a hate group infiltrating her streams and someone sending her threats that become terrifyingly real, her world really is imploding. She's had a long time crush on Mr. Grump himself, Jackson, long enough that she thought it went away. He doesn't typically acknowledge her outside of streams, but when her life goes up in flames he can't stop himself from wanting to protect her. There's a ton of chemistry and want between these two opposites. Though their fake dating scheme isn't the focus, it was still a fun way to bring them together. I really liked them together especially toward the end when we got to see more of Jackson supporting her.
Read this if you like fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, protective heroes, height differences, romantic suspense, cozy gaming, a friend groups that you want to be apart of.
Fake Game really is Deer's story at the heart. She's got a whole host of things going wrong, from a hate group infiltrating her streams and someone sending her threats that become terrifyingly real, her world really is imploding. She's had a long time crush on Mr. Grump himself, Jackson, long enough that she thought it went away. He doesn't typically acknowledge her outside of streams, but when her life goes up in flames he can't stop himself from wanting to protect her. There's a ton of chemistry and want between these two opposites. Though their fake dating scheme isn't the focus, it was still a fun way to bring them together. I really liked them together especially toward the end when we got to see more of Jackson supporting her.
Read this if you like fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, protective heroes, height differences, romantic suspense, cozy gaming, a friend groups that you want to be apart of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Stalking
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Sugar Baby Mine by Kayla Riane
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Abandonment
The Christmas Pic by Rena Sapon-White, Ella Schaefer
Read this if you like Hallmark movies but you've always wished they were queer, big city fish in an out of water small town, hate to love romance, and the most queer friendly Christmas town you've ever read about.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
I want to move to Harmony Springs so bad! I love this little Christmas loving town and its rich, queer history. It's such a magical setting. I'm really glad I started out my holiday reading with The Christmas Pic. The conversation around AI and how it is harming artists is so important and was handled really well with the balance of Ava's Gramsta vs Jo's The Photo Truck. I would've liked a bit more at the end to explore things we learned about Ava toward the end, but it didn't harm the story overall.
I love that all the side characters were all meddling and trying to get these two idiots (lovingly) to lovers. It's a pretty quick romance because of time constraints in the plot, but I really enjoyed their romance because they were spending so much time together fixing up the truck and getting the business up to date that they couldn't help but have these small moments of seeing each other as they really were. The third act was a bit predictable, which is pretty on par for holiday romance, and I wish that Jo could've had a bit more trust in her heart for Ava's surprise; granted, I did like the scene when Jo finally realizes that Ava does see her.
I love that all the side characters were all meddling and trying to get these two idiots (lovingly) to lovers. It's a pretty quick romance because of time constraints in the plot, but I really enjoyed their romance because they were spending so much time together fixing up the truck and getting the business up to date that they couldn't help but have these small moments of seeing each other as they really were. The third act was a bit predictable, which is pretty on par for holiday romance, and I wish that Jo could've had a bit more trust in her heart for Ava's surprise; granted, I did like the scene when Jo finally realizes that Ava does see her.
Read this if you like Hallmark movies but you've always wished they were queer, big city fish in an out of water small town, hate to love romance, and the most queer friendly Christmas town you've ever read about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent