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theengineerisreading's reviews
780 reviews
Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
5.0
Sarah Mlynowski's Don't Even Think About It is my unexpected read of the year. I bought this book for only Php99.00 (roughly USD2.00) in a Thank You Sale of my favorite local bookstore. This book gave me a roller coaster of emotion (but I found myself laughing out loud most of the time!)
Set in Bloomberg High School in Tribeca, a class of Grade 10 students encountered a once-in-a-lifetime chance of having superpowers, after being vaccined with mutated flu shots. After a day, the entire class realized that they really have superpowers in the form of telepathy, an ability to read someone else's thoughts. The thing is they can read every person's thought and with this great power, comes great responsibility as well. Will the class be able to keep their secret or not? Read this book now, and don't even think about it.
Set in Bloomberg High School in Tribeca, a class of Grade 10 students encountered a once-in-a-lifetime chance of having superpowers, after being vaccined with mutated flu shots. After a day, the entire class realized that they really have superpowers in the form of telepathy, an ability to read someone else's thoughts. The thing is they can read every person's thought and with this great power, comes great responsibility as well. Will the class be able to keep their secret or not? Read this book now, and don't even think about it.
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
5.0
Four years after the release of this epic Marie Lu book, I finally had the time to delve into the action-packed world of the Elites. And here’s my honest review for the first book in The Young Elites series.
I honestly had a hard time connecting with TYE in the first hundred pages since a lot of backstories and events are established in the first part of this book but starting when Adelina finally made it through the Daggers’ test and became an official member of the Daggers Society, I was hooked into the story and the fast pacing suddenly engulfed me into flipping the pages until the last one.
My actual rating for The Young Elites is 4.5 stars because it gave me the vibes of my two favorite shows— Sense8 and Avatar. The Elites’ specific gift from the gods are similar to Aang and his gang’s ability to control elements while the inclusion of possible various Elite Society across Sealands gave me a Sense8 vibe where the sensates formed different clusters based on their preference.
What I really love about this book is the fact that the Adelina character portrayed a great protagonist-antagonist role which made me love her and hate her at the same time. I love that Adelina is strong and independent but I hate how impulsive she is and always forget to balance the importance of truth instead of covering up with lies.
I also love how intricate the characters of Adelina and Enzo Valenciano, especially with all the backstories and development Marie had poured into her writing process. I also want to commend how the world of Kenettra was cleverly crafted, Marie’s words painted vivid pictures of the entire City of Kenettra in every setting depicted in the entire plot.
Overall, it was a great read for me (excluding the semi-dull beginning) for it managed to hit every element of a good read in its right spot. And considering that this is a high fantasy book (imo), I got really engaged with the entire premise of The Young Elites and now I’m all flipping to start reading The Rose Society. See you again later, Adelina Amouteru!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“Violetta, soon you’re going to realize that things don’t end well for everyone. Some of us are broken and there’s nothing you can do to fix it.”
“Something blackens your heart. Something deep and bitter. It has festered inside you for years, nurtured and encouraged. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“Be true to yourself. That’s something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”
“To love is to be afraid. You are frightened, deathly terrified, that something will happen to those you love. Think of the possibilities. Does your heart clench with each thought? That, my friend, is love. And love enslaves us all, for you cannot have love without fear.”
I honestly had a hard time connecting with TYE in the first hundred pages since a lot of backstories and events are established in the first part of this book but starting when Adelina finally made it through the Daggers’ test and became an official member of the Daggers Society, I was hooked into the story and the fast pacing suddenly engulfed me into flipping the pages until the last one.
My actual rating for The Young Elites is 4.5 stars because it gave me the vibes of my two favorite shows— Sense8 and Avatar. The Elites’ specific gift from the gods are similar to Aang and his gang’s ability to control elements while the inclusion of possible various Elite Society across Sealands gave me a Sense8 vibe where the sensates formed different clusters based on their preference.
What I really love about this book is the fact that the Adelina character portrayed a great protagonist-antagonist role which made me love her and hate her at the same time. I love that Adelina is strong and independent but I hate how impulsive she is and always forget to balance the importance of truth instead of covering up with lies.
I also love how intricate the characters of Adelina and Enzo Valenciano, especially with all the backstories and development Marie had poured into her writing process. I also want to commend how the world of Kenettra was cleverly crafted, Marie’s words painted vivid pictures of the entire City of Kenettra in every setting depicted in the entire plot.
Overall, it was a great read for me (excluding the semi-dull beginning) for it managed to hit every element of a good read in its right spot. And considering that this is a high fantasy book (imo), I got really engaged with the entire premise of The Young Elites and now I’m all flipping to start reading The Rose Society. See you again later, Adelina Amouteru!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“Violetta, soon you’re going to realize that things don’t end well for everyone. Some of us are broken and there’s nothing you can do to fix it.”
“Something blackens your heart. Something deep and bitter. It has festered inside you for years, nurtured and encouraged. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“Be true to yourself. That’s something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”
“To love is to be afraid. You are frightened, deathly terrified, that something will happen to those you love. Think of the possibilities. Does your heart clench with each thought? That, my friend, is love. And love enslaves us all, for you cannot have love without fear.”
The Rose Society by Marie Lu
5.0
And here comes the second book of The Young Elites series, The Rose Society. I have high expectations for this book right after the first book left me with overflowing feels and honestly, this one did not disappoint. Let’s talk about high quality writing and I can tell that this book perfectly fits the description (salute to Marie Lu’s notable writing skills) and before I oversell this one, let’s go to my review.
Right after it was revealed that Adeline Amouteru was forced to leave her treasured Dagger Socity, she and her sister, Violetta, travelled to the small island of Merroutas in between Kenettra and Tamoura to search for other gifted malfettos or Elites that will accompany her in striking down the Inquisition Axis. In their journey, the Amouteru sisters came across the most-talked-about Elite Magiano who can mimic the ability of other Elites he is faced with, and another Dagger outcast, Sergio, who was first referred in The Young Elites book as The Rainmaker. With the help of these two new allies, Adelina carefully laid out her plan in getting her revenge to the cruel force of Inquisitors in Kenettra but unexpected twists that were not part of her original plan suddenly sprang along the way—the question is will it help her in finally securing the elusive Kenettran throne or will it only hinder her trudge to the top?
Packed with action, history, drama, and romance, The Rose Society is the perfect dish for those who are really into the like of Game of Thrones. Like I said before, my hopes are high that this book will deliver the story I need for Adelina and I’ll say it again, this one lived up to my expectation.
I love how Marie Lu expanded the world of Elites by introducing us new characters that were already woven in the Kenettran history such as Magiano and Beldain Queen Maeve; and another point for the inclusion of the outcasted Dagger, Sergio, who perfectly aligned with Adelina’s goal of bringing down not only the Inquisitors but the Daggers as well.
Another thing I want to highlight is how the character of Adelina was purely established in this book— her impulsive attitude was perfectly crafted together with her crave for leadership in this one, and Adelina delivered the goods as well for her great performance during the entire plot.
And of course, who will forget the part where the Adelina and Magiano ship started sailing? Like I did not expect that but the way Marie Lu introduced it suddenly in the middle of the book is astounding. I am now a great shipper of this OTP!
Lastly, let’s turn our focus onto the action-packed scenes this book contain. I am literally out of breath every time Adelina and her squad is pushed in the middle of the battlefield— especially the parts where The Roses are hiding under Adelina’s invisibility illusion everytime they try to hide be it from Merroutas’ mercenary or Kenettra’s Inquisitor. I also want to emphasize that battle between The Daggers and The Rose—during that time when Maeve pulled out Enzo from the Underworld and tether it to Raffaelle-guised Adelina only and during that scene where the Beldain army battled with the Kenettran forces together with the fight between Dagger and Rose. I am out of words to describe that scene!
Overall, this book gave me a sure 5-star vibe and being the darkest book Marie Lu has ever written (according to the acknowledgment and imo), I can say that this is my favorite book of her as well. Looking forward to the last book in this series. That’s all for now!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“My point is that it doesn’t matter what you like, it matters what others like. All you have to do is listen and look for what makes the other person happy, and feed it.”
“I pledge myself to the Rose Society until the end of my days. To use my eyes to see all that happens, my tongue to woo others to our side, my ears to hear every secret, my hands to crush my enemies. I will do everything in my power to destroy all who stand in my way.”
“I’m trying to say that you are living in a world of illusions, of your own creation. You are in love with something that no longer exists.”
“Fear motivates, more than love or ambition or joy. Fear is more powerful than anything else in this world. I have spent so long yearning for things— for love, for acceptance— that I do not really need. I need nothing except the submission that comes with fear. I do not know why it took me so long to learn this.”
Right after it was revealed that Adeline Amouteru was forced to leave her treasured Dagger Socity, she and her sister, Violetta, travelled to the small island of Merroutas in between Kenettra and Tamoura to search for other gifted malfettos or Elites that will accompany her in striking down the Inquisition Axis. In their journey, the Amouteru sisters came across the most-talked-about Elite Magiano who can mimic the ability of other Elites he is faced with, and another Dagger outcast, Sergio, who was first referred in The Young Elites book as The Rainmaker. With the help of these two new allies, Adelina carefully laid out her plan in getting her revenge to the cruel force of Inquisitors in Kenettra but unexpected twists that were not part of her original plan suddenly sprang along the way—the question is will it help her in finally securing the elusive Kenettran throne or will it only hinder her trudge to the top?
Packed with action, history, drama, and romance, The Rose Society is the perfect dish for those who are really into the like of Game of Thrones. Like I said before, my hopes are high that this book will deliver the story I need for Adelina and I’ll say it again, this one lived up to my expectation.
I love how Marie Lu expanded the world of Elites by introducing us new characters that were already woven in the Kenettran history such as Magiano and Beldain Queen Maeve; and another point for the inclusion of the outcasted Dagger, Sergio, who perfectly aligned with Adelina’s goal of bringing down not only the Inquisitors but the Daggers as well.
Another thing I want to highlight is how the character of Adelina was purely established in this book— her impulsive attitude was perfectly crafted together with her crave for leadership in this one, and Adelina delivered the goods as well for her great performance during the entire plot.
And of course, who will forget the part where the Adelina and Magiano ship started sailing? Like I did not expect that but the way Marie Lu introduced it suddenly in the middle of the book is astounding. I am now a great shipper of this OTP!
Lastly, let’s turn our focus onto the action-packed scenes this book contain. I am literally out of breath every time Adelina and her squad is pushed in the middle of the battlefield— especially the parts where The Roses are hiding under Adelina’s invisibility illusion everytime they try to hide be it from Merroutas’ mercenary or Kenettra’s Inquisitor. I also want to emphasize that battle between The Daggers and The Rose—during that time when Maeve pulled out Enzo from the Underworld and tether it to Raffaelle-guised Adelina only and during that scene where the Beldain army battled with the Kenettran forces together with the fight between Dagger and Rose. I am out of words to describe that scene!
Overall, this book gave me a sure 5-star vibe and being the darkest book Marie Lu has ever written (according to the acknowledgment and imo), I can say that this is my favorite book of her as well. Looking forward to the last book in this series. That’s all for now!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“My point is that it doesn’t matter what you like, it matters what others like. All you have to do is listen and look for what makes the other person happy, and feed it.”
“I pledge myself to the Rose Society until the end of my days. To use my eyes to see all that happens, my tongue to woo others to our side, my ears to hear every secret, my hands to crush my enemies. I will do everything in my power to destroy all who stand in my way.”
“I’m trying to say that you are living in a world of illusions, of your own creation. You are in love with something that no longer exists.”
“Fear motivates, more than love or ambition or joy. Fear is more powerful than anything else in this world. I have spent so long yearning for things— for love, for acceptance— that I do not really need. I need nothing except the submission that comes with fear. I do not know why it took me so long to learn this.”
The Midnight Star by Marie Lu
5.0
I am officially out of words to describe what I feel after reading the entire The Young Elites series. The only question that lingers in my mind is how can Marie Lu do this to us! I mean, I’m not yet ready but somehow, it all happened fastforwardly. You will forever be missed, Adelina Amouteru, brave girl of Dalia, Queen of Kenettra and Sealands, and founder of the Rose Society.
I’ll admit that I somehow tried to step away from this book because I don’t want to finish this series but I don’t want to feel so left out since my friend, Justine, who buddy read this with me, is already drowning in feels after finishing The Midnight Star.
I won’t do a recap of the event in the final book since I don’t write possible spoilers in my reviews but imagine Queen Adelina Amouteru of Kenettra and Sealands, after years of hardwork and perseverance to reclaim the glory she always wanted since she was a kid, finally faced her final destination.
Actually, the only idea I have in mind before starting this book is that there’s going to be an epic battle between Kenettra/Roses and Beldain/Dagger but the general plot of TMS shifted and introduced us a much different angle of what hindered Adelina this time. I am expecting a much physical adversary and much blood and gore in this book but Marie Lu, being the greatest writer I know, managed to throw us a scorching curveball in the last minute of this book.
I am crying and I am feeling sad with what happened in this haunting conclusion to The Young Elites series but somehow I have to accept that this, too, shall pass.
Overall, this is a sure 5-star read for me as it delivered well in the various book points I always look at—pacing, twists, character development, and impact. I love how Marie Lu gave us a heartwarming book to end the bloody and gory series. I love how she delivered the goods (and the bad goods) in the most unexpected time. And lastly, I love how she redeemed the characters of Magiano and Teren Santoro in the latter part of the book.
So, to end this prolong of blah blahs, let me leave you with this series of quotations I annotated from TMS and I hope you also enjoyed the wonderful world of the Elites.
BEST QUOTE/S:
“Fear works best with some love. Show them that you can be terrifying, yet generous. Let the people love you a little, mi Adelinetta.”
“What if you are wrong? What if the gods sent you, and indeed the rest of us, not because we were never meant to be, but because we were always meant to be?”
“You cannot harden your heart to the future just because of your past. You cannot use cruelty against yourself to justify cruelty to theirs. It is hard. I know you are trying.”
“After a lifetime of darkness, I want to leave something behind that is made of light.”
I’ll admit that I somehow tried to step away from this book because I don’t want to finish this series but I don’t want to feel so left out since my friend, Justine, who buddy read this with me, is already drowning in feels after finishing The Midnight Star.
I won’t do a recap of the event in the final book since I don’t write possible spoilers in my reviews but imagine Queen Adelina Amouteru of Kenettra and Sealands, after years of hardwork and perseverance to reclaim the glory she always wanted since she was a kid, finally faced her final destination.
Actually, the only idea I have in mind before starting this book is that there’s going to be an epic battle between Kenettra/Roses and Beldain/Dagger but the general plot of TMS shifted and introduced us a much different angle of what hindered Adelina this time. I am expecting a much physical adversary and much blood and gore in this book but Marie Lu, being the greatest writer I know, managed to throw us a scorching curveball in the last minute of this book.
I am crying and I am feeling sad with what happened in this haunting conclusion to The Young Elites series but somehow I have to accept that this, too, shall pass.
Overall, this is a sure 5-star read for me as it delivered well in the various book points I always look at—pacing, twists, character development, and impact. I love how Marie Lu gave us a heartwarming book to end the bloody and gory series. I love how she delivered the goods (and the bad goods) in the most unexpected time. And lastly, I love how she redeemed the characters of Magiano and Teren Santoro in the latter part of the book.
So, to end this prolong of blah blahs, let me leave you with this series of quotations I annotated from TMS and I hope you also enjoyed the wonderful world of the Elites.
BEST QUOTE/S:
“Fear works best with some love. Show them that you can be terrifying, yet generous. Let the people love you a little, mi Adelinetta.”
“What if you are wrong? What if the gods sent you, and indeed the rest of us, not because we were never meant to be, but because we were always meant to be?”
“You cannot harden your heart to the future just because of your past. You cannot use cruelty against yourself to justify cruelty to theirs. It is hard. I know you are trying.”
“After a lifetime of darkness, I want to leave something behind that is made of light.”
Korrigan by Rebecca F. Kenney
4.0
4.3 stars, and this one should have been an easy 5-star read for me if it only had a lot more action scenes within.
If you’re interested in reading a fantasy book introducing other country/culture’s history and mythology—then Secrets of the Fae series by Rebecca F. Kenney, with Korrigan as its first book, will surely fit in your TBR.
Based on the rich history of Irish mythology, the story revolved on our main character Aislinn Byrne, a seventeen year old half-Korrigan, half-Druid who is somehow cursed and becomes a Beast at daylight unless she choose to life-steal from human, like what most Korrigans do. Placed in a modern setting of this prevailing era, Aislinn, together with the remaining Korrigans, managed to put the odds on their favor as they continue pulling out days from humans, particularly babies, to prolong their ability to walk under the sun without transforming into a beast. The catch with this book is the introduction of Aislinn into the Life-Stealing process since she just turned seventeen at the beginning of the story and how will the magic of the world will unravel the mystery and history of being a Fae in this modern world. With the inclusion of the evil character Far Darrig in the plot, will Aislinn be able to continue her escape from being a Korrigan and manage to live a normal teen life or will she remain trapped under the chamber of the past and remain prisoned under the dungeon of her grandmother queen’s supervision.
Packed with Irish mythology, romance, and adventure with a wee sprinkle of action and suspense, Korrigan is a great diverse read for those who want to expand their knowledge on other versions of mythology. In my own opinion, this one is a bit of a mix between a fantasy and contemporary since it gave me the vibe of reading a light contemporary read—and I love when a fantasy-based book gave me the appeal of being light instead of being all heavy and dragging.
Another key point that made me engage in this book until the last page of this book is the clear and vivid backstory and explanation of Irish mythology which made it easier to comprehend for readers like me who does not have even an ounce of clue about Irish myth.
And where is the remaining 0.7 star I chose to chop off my overall rating, well, I really want to have an honest review and I will stand by myself in saying that this book lacked of action-packed scenes which is the first thing I want from a fantasy and mythology-based read. Another thing is I also have an unsure feeling whether I liked the character development of Aislinn Byrne in this book but maybe it’s Rebecca’s way of embodying how hard is it for Aislinn’s character to fit in the human world—just a wild guess.
So that’s it for my review. I heard that this book is a trilogy and I’m really looking forward to read what’s next to Aislinn’s story. For the meantime, here are some quotes I highlighted from the story
BEST QUOTE/S:
“I didn’t tell you because I know how foolish the young are. Everything seems so important and so irresistible when you’re young. Pain, sorrow, anger, love, revenge – they are emotions too powerful for you to handle.”
“What you gotta focus on is the people who do care about you, the ones that see you. And even if there aren’t many of them— or any – of those, know that someday there will be. Until then, you are enough. You are strong enough to be okay, just you.”
“Be careful, precious. Things that are different can bring danger with them. Just because we accept difference doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
If you’re interested in reading a fantasy book introducing other country/culture’s history and mythology—then Secrets of the Fae series by Rebecca F. Kenney, with Korrigan as its first book, will surely fit in your TBR.
Based on the rich history of Irish mythology, the story revolved on our main character Aislinn Byrne, a seventeen year old half-Korrigan, half-Druid who is somehow cursed and becomes a Beast at daylight unless she choose to life-steal from human, like what most Korrigans do. Placed in a modern setting of this prevailing era, Aislinn, together with the remaining Korrigans, managed to put the odds on their favor as they continue pulling out days from humans, particularly babies, to prolong their ability to walk under the sun without transforming into a beast. The catch with this book is the introduction of Aislinn into the Life-Stealing process since she just turned seventeen at the beginning of the story and how will the magic of the world will unravel the mystery and history of being a Fae in this modern world. With the inclusion of the evil character Far Darrig in the plot, will Aislinn be able to continue her escape from being a Korrigan and manage to live a normal teen life or will she remain trapped under the chamber of the past and remain prisoned under the dungeon of her grandmother queen’s supervision.
Packed with Irish mythology, romance, and adventure with a wee sprinkle of action and suspense, Korrigan is a great diverse read for those who want to expand their knowledge on other versions of mythology. In my own opinion, this one is a bit of a mix between a fantasy and contemporary since it gave me the vibe of reading a light contemporary read—and I love when a fantasy-based book gave me the appeal of being light instead of being all heavy and dragging.
Another key point that made me engage in this book until the last page of this book is the clear and vivid backstory and explanation of Irish mythology which made it easier to comprehend for readers like me who does not have even an ounce of clue about Irish myth.
And where is the remaining 0.7 star I chose to chop off my overall rating, well, I really want to have an honest review and I will stand by myself in saying that this book lacked of action-packed scenes which is the first thing I want from a fantasy and mythology-based read. Another thing is I also have an unsure feeling whether I liked the character development of Aislinn Byrne in this book but maybe it’s Rebecca’s way of embodying how hard is it for Aislinn’s character to fit in the human world—just a wild guess.
So that’s it for my review. I heard that this book is a trilogy and I’m really looking forward to read what’s next to Aislinn’s story. For the meantime, here are some quotes I highlighted from the story
BEST QUOTE/S:
“I didn’t tell you because I know how foolish the young are. Everything seems so important and so irresistible when you’re young. Pain, sorrow, anger, love, revenge – they are emotions too powerful for you to handle.”
“What you gotta focus on is the people who do care about you, the ones that see you. And even if there aren’t many of them— or any – of those, know that someday there will be. Until then, you are enough. You are strong enough to be okay, just you.”
“Be careful, precious. Things that are different can bring danger with them. Just because we accept difference doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn
5.0
Before I give it a go with my platinum review for this to-be-released gem by Erin Hahn, first, I would like to say thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press of MacMillan Corporate for giving me a copy of unedited digital galley to read in exchange for an honest review. This means the world to international reviewers like me — without further ado, here’s my review for this debut novel by Erin Hahn.
If I will to go on my usual review process then I should be pointing out the flaws in this book first but honestly, You’d Be Mine is flawless (except for some unwanted punctuation here and there since I have an unedited copy so that’s okay!) Basically, this is for the readers who want to venture in a romantic adventure with extra scoops of country music and cleverly crafted plot that will surely bring you back to your teenage days of puppy love and self-discovery. I’ll say this again before I forgot but You’d Be Mine is flawlessly amazing.
This debut novel by Erin Hahn revolve on the story of Jefferson Clay Coolidge, a prominent superstar from Indiana, who, after being caught in an anomaly with his recording label’s company owner’s grandson, found himself in the brink of losing his contract with the studio, his country-wide tour series, and his reputation as the next face of country music with a ‘bad boy’ attitude. With this, the company made a last-minute deal with Clay stating that the only thing that can save everything he have is to convince Annie Mathers, a Michigan-raised teen who made names in the music’s scene after following the steps of her parents who are both legends in country music, and her band named Under the Willows to sign a contract with the SunCoast Agency to be Clay’s opening act during his tour series. Clay, being the confident bad boy that he is, sought Annie Mathers’ approval and eventually got her coveted signature after visiting Annie in Michigan. Little did Annie and Clay know that the universe has a lot to offer to them. As a matter of fact, country music fans started dubbing the two of them as the modern June and Johnny Cash.
However, things haven’t been easy for the two of them since they both own dark backstories with Annie being caught up within the realms of her parents’ tragic death while Clay still mourns for the passing of his soldier brother. This issues, nonetheless, made their tour stops a bit of a roller coaster ride revealing the good and bad sides of their characters. With the help of their friends and bandmates, Kacey and Jason of Under the Willows and his bestfriend Fitz, Annie and Clay brave the storm that hinders their trudge towards their own definition of success and, in the end, manage to give an astonishing duet performance that will surely leave the readers slack jawed and nothing to say.
Aside from the romantic stuff between Clay and Annie that is highlighted in the book, a lot of things that will surely make readers fall in love with this read are also included. Like country music playlist ranging from the good ‘ol days Johnny and June, Kenny Rogers, and Dolly Parton, up to the new releases from both Clay and Annie— You’d Be Mine is full of awesome tracks that are great accompaniment while reading. I love how Erin Hahn incorporated a lot of good songs (which are all Hahn’s original since she’s the one who wrote it for Clay and Annie) and my ears are begging for these tracks to be finally made into a complete song piece so I can actually hear the melody of Coattails and You’d Be Mine.
Another good thing that made me hooked on this read is the feel-good vibe it radiates off to its readers. Both Clay Coolidge and Annie Mathers’ presence when they hit it on the stage gave me that actual feels of being part of the crowd where they are performing during the tour. I like the overall atmosphere of this book and it’s a light, feel-good read with a clever take on teenage romance sprinkled with a whole lot of country music goodness.
Overall, I can say that Erin Hahn did an amazing job with this debut book of hers and if you are looking for a light contemporary romantic read with a dazzle of music and tween love, then You’d Be Mine will surely fit in your TBR pile. Take it from me, You’d Be Mine is a sure 5-star read for you. Happy reading!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“I’m not her. I’m not running after any cocky cowboys. I’m going into this with my head on straight. I know what fame can do to a girl, and I know what love can take away.”
“So, she sings like an angel, plays like the devil, pitches championships, and slays amusement park games. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“I do love it, more than anything. That’s what scares me. I know it’s hard to understand, and I don’t think I really get it myself, but it’s like music is tied to everything happy and awful in my life. All my highs and all my lows.”
“Some nights the whiskey ain’t enough—
Nights after days spent with you
Tonight the whiskey ain’t gonna be enough—
I only wanna send my days with you”
“This is just like the free space on aa bingo card. Nothing counts as real today. I’m not me today.”
“That’s the glorious thing about music. It speaks to the very heart of things in the most absolute and obtrusive way.”
“Sometimes you write something you know is meant to be shared. It’s something I can’t possibly say, but something that must be said anyway.”
If I will to go on my usual review process then I should be pointing out the flaws in this book first but honestly, You’d Be Mine is flawless (except for some unwanted punctuation here and there since I have an unedited copy so that’s okay!) Basically, this is for the readers who want to venture in a romantic adventure with extra scoops of country music and cleverly crafted plot that will surely bring you back to your teenage days of puppy love and self-discovery. I’ll say this again before I forgot but You’d Be Mine is flawlessly amazing.
This debut novel by Erin Hahn revolve on the story of Jefferson Clay Coolidge, a prominent superstar from Indiana, who, after being caught in an anomaly with his recording label’s company owner’s grandson, found himself in the brink of losing his contract with the studio, his country-wide tour series, and his reputation as the next face of country music with a ‘bad boy’ attitude. With this, the company made a last-minute deal with Clay stating that the only thing that can save everything he have is to convince Annie Mathers, a Michigan-raised teen who made names in the music’s scene after following the steps of her parents who are both legends in country music, and her band named Under the Willows to sign a contract with the SunCoast Agency to be Clay’s opening act during his tour series. Clay, being the confident bad boy that he is, sought Annie Mathers’ approval and eventually got her coveted signature after visiting Annie in Michigan. Little did Annie and Clay know that the universe has a lot to offer to them. As a matter of fact, country music fans started dubbing the two of them as the modern June and Johnny Cash.
However, things haven’t been easy for the two of them since they both own dark backstories with Annie being caught up within the realms of her parents’ tragic death while Clay still mourns for the passing of his soldier brother. This issues, nonetheless, made their tour stops a bit of a roller coaster ride revealing the good and bad sides of their characters. With the help of their friends and bandmates, Kacey and Jason of Under the Willows and his bestfriend Fitz, Annie and Clay brave the storm that hinders their trudge towards their own definition of success and, in the end, manage to give an astonishing duet performance that will surely leave the readers slack jawed and nothing to say.
Aside from the romantic stuff between Clay and Annie that is highlighted in the book, a lot of things that will surely make readers fall in love with this read are also included. Like country music playlist ranging from the good ‘ol days Johnny and June, Kenny Rogers, and Dolly Parton, up to the new releases from both Clay and Annie— You’d Be Mine is full of awesome tracks that are great accompaniment while reading. I love how Erin Hahn incorporated a lot of good songs (which are all Hahn’s original since she’s the one who wrote it for Clay and Annie) and my ears are begging for these tracks to be finally made into a complete song piece so I can actually hear the melody of Coattails and You’d Be Mine.
Another good thing that made me hooked on this read is the feel-good vibe it radiates off to its readers. Both Clay Coolidge and Annie Mathers’ presence when they hit it on the stage gave me that actual feels of being part of the crowd where they are performing during the tour. I like the overall atmosphere of this book and it’s a light, feel-good read with a clever take on teenage romance sprinkled with a whole lot of country music goodness.
Overall, I can say that Erin Hahn did an amazing job with this debut book of hers and if you are looking for a light contemporary romantic read with a dazzle of music and tween love, then You’d Be Mine will surely fit in your TBR pile. Take it from me, You’d Be Mine is a sure 5-star read for you. Happy reading!
BEST QUOTE/S:
“I’m not her. I’m not running after any cocky cowboys. I’m going into this with my head on straight. I know what fame can do to a girl, and I know what love can take away.”
“So, she sings like an angel, plays like the devil, pitches championships, and slays amusement park games. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“I do love it, more than anything. That’s what scares me. I know it’s hard to understand, and I don’t think I really get it myself, but it’s like music is tied to everything happy and awful in my life. All my highs and all my lows.”
“Some nights the whiskey ain’t enough—
Nights after days spent with you
Tonight the whiskey ain’t gonna be enough—
I only wanna send my days with you”
“This is just like the free space on aa bingo card. Nothing counts as real today. I’m not me today.”
“That’s the glorious thing about music. It speaks to the very heart of things in the most absolute and obtrusive way.”
“Sometimes you write something you know is meant to be shared. It’s something I can’t possibly say, but something that must be said anyway.”