stinasara's reviews
521 reviews

 

⭐️⭐️.5 

🌶️🌶️🌶️(reasonable) 

 

I didn’t like either of the characters. They were both judgemental and belittling to each other. They through half-assed apologies to each other left and right and were shocked that the other didn’t know their true feelings. 

 

Their building was up for sale but there were no actual feelings of doom. The answer was given to us from the start but it was dragged until the end of the book because Chelsea couldn’t take her head of out her own ass. 

 

The only good things in this book were their dogs. 

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 

 

I really liked the concept of the tri-level semidioses (Gold, Jade, and Obsidian). The Mexican-mythology-inspired elements were fantastic. While I’m not entirely sure how much of the mythology is rooted in Mexican traditions vs. being invented, it was excellent and the fantastical elements were well incorporated. 

 

The representation in this book was amazing! I appreciated the exploration of dysphoria— both gender and body. Teo’s struggles with his wings, which are both a natural extension of his body and a core part of his personality, were so well-written. 

 

I haven’t decided yet if I’ll pick up the second book, but I’m intrigued! 

 

Tropes

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️🌶️(sufficient description) 

 

Such a cute holiday romance! I loved that the  main characters both work at a bookstore and share a love for reading. It had just the right balance of fluff and tension. I enjoyed the competitive aspect of the story. While there were a few cringey moments, overall, I had a great time reading it. 

 

This was a slow burn, but it was delightful. The winter vibes were there. The story features a grumpy hunk and a sunshiney, overly holiday-spirited coworker working together in a bookstore to save it from closing. Meanwhile, they’re both undeniably attracted to each other, creating some delicious sexual tension and angst. The dialogue made me laugh out loud several times, which added to the charm. 

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️(kissing) 

 

I liked Cooper but wasn’t as big a fan of Madeline. The kids were great, though, and added a nice touch. However, I didn’t feel the same connection between the characters as I did with those in the first book. 

 

The plot wasn’t particularly strong. It didn’t feel unique or like it added anything new to the tropes—it was just set during winter, which I did enjoy. The snowstorm was an interesting element I hadn’t seen before, but it wrapped up far too quickly. 

 

Overall, this book wasn’t as good as the first one. It feels like the author wrote it because the first book received positive reviews, not because it was initially planned. That said, it does feel well-executed, so it isn’t a thrown together book. Still, I can’t believe that this one wasn’t part of the original vision.

Tropes

 

⭐️⭐️.5 

🌶️🌶️🌶️(a fair amount) 

 

None of the characters had depth or distinctive personalities. Noah was the only one with some complexity, but even then, everything revolved around trauma. The author didn’t really show—or tell—us why Noah and Ari worked as a couple. I couldn’t see why they liked each other; their connection felt shallow. 

 

This book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t care about the characters because I didn’t get to know them. And since I didn’t know the characters, I couldn’t bring myself to care about anything related to the book. The plot felt dull, and the intrigue simply wasn’t there because nothing drew me in. 

 

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬

𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩, 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

(kissing) 

 

It is a good installment, and fairly suspensful, though its ending is easy to guess. Like all of the books, the dialogue is funny, the interactions between the characters in this volume are particularly funny, especially the parts of Halt’s ”old age”. This one I enjoyed a bit more than the last books. 

 

I don’t think Flanagan put a single female characters in this book, expect one baby scene at the end… This one was mostly fun without anything too annoying. It’s a fun book for people who are in the right age group. 

 

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬

𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝: 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🌶️🌶️(fade into dark)

This book has too much going on while somehow still being boring. It feels like a short story stretched into a novel, and it shows.

The fantasy elements were underwhelming. However, the writing itself was exceptional. The ending was confusing and lacked sufficient explanation—I still don’t understand why Marsha had to

die

.

The story delivered on its promise of being a tragedy, living up to the Romeo and Juliet inspiration.

𝐋𝐞𝐯 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚

These two carried the entire book for me! As the youngest members of their feuding families, they don’t fully grasp their roles in the decades-old grudge. Instead, they focus on finding happiness in each other, which is what truly matters to them.

𝐃𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚

These two got the short end of the stick. Their stories broke my heart with the sacrifices they had to make for the sake of their families.

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬⁣

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

Världen är både dålig och bättre, och Hans uttrycker det vackert i denna bok. Framsteg sker bit för bit. Vi har halverat antalet människor som lever i extrem fattigdom under de senaste tjugo åren, men det har aldrig funnits en morgon när rubrikerna i tidningarna skrek: ”FATTIGDOMSNUMREN SJUNKER STEGVIS.” Otroligt ledsamt! 

 

En annan anmärkningsvärd sak med Factfulness – och med Hans själv – är att han vägrar döma någon för deras missuppfattningar. Hans undviker till och med att kritisera medierna. Istället berättar han om sin egen historia av okunskap. Han förklarar att dessa instinkter gör oss mänskliga och att det inte är lätt att övervinna dem. Boken täcker de viktigaste sakerna i världen och gör det på ett tillgängligt och underhållande sätt. 

 

Gapminder och denna bok är fantastiska gåvor till världen. 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️(kisses) 

 

It’s always the perfect time to embark on another adventure with Percy Jackson. He was one of my very first best friends, and the comfort I felt with every page of this book is unforgettable. I will always follow Rick Riordan in this universe, and it feels like he won’t leave me behind either. One thing I can always count on: he knows how to drive a story home! 

 

I really appreciate how Percy is reflecting more on his life and future. Being a half-blood doesn’t give you that luxury, but Percy learned faster than anyone else that growing up is the most important thing you can do. Loving people and living life beside them—that’s the point. This book was a beautiful reminder that no matter what Percy does in life or how many monsters he fights, the goal will always be to keep moving forward with Annabeth and Grover by his side. 

 

Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood will forever be the pillars of my childhood. 

 

I had kind of lost interest in this book a long time ago but I wanted to give it a try before actually giving up on it. I can't pinpoint the exact reason I didn't like it, but I wasn't enjoying it the way I wanted to 50 pages in. 
I have reached a conclusion that I will not pick up an Emily Henry simply because it is popular, I'm only picking up the book I am fully 100% interested in.