thebiglittlelibrary's reviews
623 reviews

4.5 ⭐️ I absolutely adore this story

Summary:

TV meteorologist Ari Abrams, and a sports reporter, Russell Barringer, decide to team up and pull a 'parent trap' on their divorced bosses, who are making life hell at the new station. As they spend time together scheming, real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell. But is Ari ready to let someone see the darkest parts of herself? And is Russell ready to let someone into his already complicated life?

My Thoughts:

Weather Girl is an incredibly charming romantic comedy. It's the perfect balance between fun-loving and serious, which is not an easy feat.


Here's what I loved:

Having a Jewish heroine and hero. I love Jewish history and the religious culture, so it was nice to finally read a story with this representation.

Ari is an amazing person. She's worked hard for everything she's accomplished, put her mental health first and sought help at a young age, tries to stay positive, is an absolute sweetheart, and funny as hell. I really connected to Ari and was rooting for her the entire time.

Russell is the definition of a sweetheart. He isn't like the typical rom-com love-interest, but I love that about him. He's a bigger guy, a dad, and has his own insecurities. And all these things just made him so loveable and special. I fell in love with Russell and you will too!

Having a plus-sized male love interest. I've actually never read a story where the male lead wasn't classically handsome with washboard abs, and honestly, I loved it!!! Russell may have a big gut, but he also has a big heart -and that's what's most important.

The 'parent trap' scheme. Will all 90s babies, please, stand up??? Seriously, Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan is a classic! And incorporating it into the story made me nostalgic.

The romance had spice and everything nice. The way Ari and Russell interact gives me butterflies. And honestly, their mutual pining for one another was so sweet that I DID NOT expect that level of spice! Goodness, for someone who hasn't had sex in 5-years, Russell really brought his A-game!

2 ⭐️ I was confused half the time

I really enjoyed A Spindle Splintered, so I was excited about the sequel. However, this fell short for me. Here are the reasons why.

While the previous book was a Sleeping Beauty retelling, this wasn't quite a Snow White retelling. Sure, it featured aspects from the Snow White story, like The Evil Queen, magic mirror, the huntsman, poisoned apples, and Snow White herself. But that's it. The story featured elements of the Snow White story but didn't really follow the actual story itself.

I like the general story, but everything about the multiverse and traveling to the different worlds was confusing. And I'm someone who loves Marvel, so I am extremely familiar with these concepts.

I also didn’t really see the point in this story. I mean, I guess Zinnia needed to finally accept that she has to accept her situation and live out her own story in her own world, but there could have been a less complicated way of doing it.

I was also extremely confused why Zinnia ghosted Charm for 6 months. It didn’t really make much sense and I wasn’t satisfied with the reasons provided.

I also didn’t understand the point of the sexual relationship between Zinnia and Eva. It felt unnecessary to the plot and I'm just not convinced. It felt forced.



Overall, this story is still a creative, feminist take on fairytales, however, I didn't enjoy it like the first one. There were a lot of things that didn't quite seem necessary or make sense that may have if it was fleshed out a bit more in a full-length novel versus a novella.



Thank you to Tor Books and Macmillan Publishers for sending me a copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️ A fun and quirky rom-com


Summary:

Neither celebrity-obsessed lawyer, Zara, nor former military security specialist, Jay, are looking for love. Jay is too focused on expanding his security company while Zara's recent breakup, coupled with the trauma from her parent's divorce has her determined to never open her heart again. But that doesn't mean she can't help others find their match.

During this wedding season, Zara and Jay find themselves at the singles table and they make a deal - Zara will find someone special for him and in return, he will introduce her to his celebrity clients. But when their arrangement brings them together in ways they never expected, they realize that the perfect match might just be their own.


My Thoughts:

Was this story over the top and a bit ridiculous at times? Yes!

3.25 ⭐️ An intriguing dark fantasy with an ending that left my heart racing!


This story has witches, dark magic, Hungarian folklore, a dagger-wielding FFM, a broody/protective MMC, antagonists to lovers, only one-bed, arranged marriage, and 18+ spice.


Summary:

Years ago, when the dark queen was executed by witches, her cultists went into hiding. . . until now. When young witches start to disappear from a secluded coven on the outskirts of the Dark Forest, Kitarni Barany (a witch with unusual powers) takes it upon herself to search for answers. But along the way, she meets Dante, an arrogant warrior of the Wolfblood clan who captures her attention, fuels her suspicion, boils her blood, and sparks her lust. But only with Dante's help can Kitarni stand against the cultists, or watch her coven and world be destroyed.

Cursed by Death and controlled by Fate, Kitarni is forced to meet her demons. . . or die by them.

"I will meet my fate with iron in my heart and war song in my blood. The time for hiding has passed."


What I loved:

The dark, eerie setting/tone/atmosphere. The author did an amazing job with her descriptions so the reader is able to completely visualize the setting and immerse themselves into the story.

Hungarian folklore and culture. As a Hungarian, I really appreciated seeing this. I was especially delighted to see a lot of references to some of my favorite traditional dishes. (If you've never had Hungarian food, rectify this immediately).

The world-building. The author did a really great job sharing this hidden world of witches within the Kingdom of Hungary. I loved learning about Kitarni's coven, the dark queen, and the Wolfblood clan, and can't wait to see how this expands in the next book.

The plot twist at the end!!! I knew something was up with a certain character but I did NOT see THAT coming!


What I thought was okay:

The characters. I enjoyed reading their story and I feel like they have a lot of potential, but I never quite connected with them. Something was missing. I think since this was the first book, it was just a lot of groundwork and setting up. These characters have a lot of potential and I hope to see more of their development in the next book.

The romance. Obviously, the antagonist to lovers, one-bed trope, and banter was fun to read. However, I think since I didn’t really connect with the character individually I had a hard time getting swept away by the romance. Also, the romance felt rushed and forced. While the lust between Kitarni and Dante is instantaneous, the transition from lust to love happened so quickly and near the end that it wasn't quite believable. But I will say, their relationship was spicy, sweet, angsty, and fun to read.


What I didn’t like:

The pacing. The beginning was incredibly slow, then things picked up halfway, and from 75% on it moved quickly - almost to the point where we skip days and head straight into the big events. I wish the beginning was slower and the middle/end (when Kitarni is in Mistvellen) was longer. And while I actually enjoyed the story, this book was too easy to put down. Usually, I read books this length in less than a day but it took me 6 days. Again, it’s a great story but just didn’t make me super eager to finish.

The characters use some relatively modern language, phrases that took me out of the story. Examples: bring it on bitch, asshat, ex-girlfriend (wouldn’t be called that back then).


So would I recommend this? Yes! Especially if you like dark fantasy (witches, wolves, magic), antagonist to lovers, insta-lust, dagger-wielding FMC, broody MMC, banter, violence, mystery, and some 18+ smut. Truly, if the pacing had been better, this would be a 4-star read for me. But regardless, this story features intriguing lore, dangerous adventures, and an emotional ending, so I definitely will be reading the next one!


Thank you to Chloe Hodge for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

3 ⭐️ Cute small town romance


"It's amazing the ways our parents can mess us up. I guess we're all still figuring it out."


Summary:

The story follows Bee, an aspiring interior designer from NYC, and Denny, an ex-NFL player who lives in Pine Ridge in Upstate New York.

Bee, a club manager from NYC, was planning on going to design school in London when she's once again put in a position where she feels obligated to financially bail her careless brother out. So she decides to head to Pine Ridge to get some space, where she meets a tall, dark, and handsome ex-football player in need of an interior designer.

Denny moved to Pine Ridge a few years ago after quitting the NFL and bought an enormous house on the lake. But his home feels more like a sad bachelor pad. And with his judgemental parents visiting in a few months, Denny wants nothing more than to show he has his life together, starting with his home.

Neither Bee nor Denny is looking for love, but something like fate and small-town meddling set these two on a collision course.


My Thoughts:

If you love small-town romance and flawed heroes, this book is for you.

You're introduced to a big city girl who's looking to get in and out, and a laid-back ex-football player looking to get away. Bee and Denny use Pine Ridge as a way to escape but in very different ways. Both carry emotional scars from their past (childhood/parents), which I found extremely relatable. And throughout the story, we see them grow, help each other overcome their fears, discover who they are/what they want. I liked that this book addressed some heavier topics while also remaining lighthearted.


The one thing that drove me nuts was Bee's relationship with her brother. She's such a sweet, strong character but when it comes to her sh*tty brother who uses her, she's so weak. I know this is how it's supposed to be portrayed, but I just hated it. I would NEVER in a million years pay for anyone's medical bill who ended up in the hospital because of their carelessness. Also, no one had to pay the bills immediately. Her brother would have been released from the hospital and had bills he would be responsible for. I didn't understand why she used her own money to pay for it right then and there when it wasn't necessary.


Overall, it's a sweet story but nothing special. This is the third book in the Forever Adirondacks series and can be read as a standalone. I didn't read the previous stories but I think it would have made me feel more connected to Pine Ridge and the side-characters.



Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.