whatislaurynnreading's reviews
134 reviews

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Go to review page

slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

i liked it. i think the advertisement of a fake dating plot line is a bit misleading.. while that’s the base of the story i feel like there are so many other plot points going on that the dating aspect is almost forgotten.

i’ll start positively, because i did like oliver and luc slowly and messily falling in love with each other, it was clear from the beginning that oliver agreeing to date - fake date - luc was because he already liked him but that could be my “i’ve read too many books to be surprised by some things”. i liked oliver’s slow progression to touching luc and being intimate, i think it was natural and not rushed, a nice slow burn if you will. while the constant miscommunication was frustrating, in the end it made more sense that these characters would take things harshly or harsher from each other given the fact that they were both really hurt in previous relationships.

i don’t want to sound super negative because i did like the book but there was a lot i didn’t like about it… mainly the fact nearly everyone in luc’s circle knows he’s not actually dating oliver. while the fake good boyfriend angle is for the press it seems ridiculous to not include his friends in the charade. since we never really see luc interact with the press and there’s actually only one moment where oliver is really needed in relation to the paps.

i really, really didn’t like the causal homophobia of nearly every side character. i think every client of the charity and some of luc’s coworkers make some comment about his “chosen lifestyle” or it was implied that he could potentially lose his job for not being “a proper gay” AND not to mention oliver’s family, the anniversary dinner party was just really uncomfortable and felt very short for that heavy of a topic. i understand some family members are like this and it can be deemed “actual representation” but it really came out of no where and was over in an instant.

alex was terribly annoying and eventually became unfunny/charming or whatever he was suppose to be, it could be me personally but being “stupid” in a way of not understanding common things or sarcasm really isn’t funny and instantly infuriating, if that was his purpose to luc’s life, well succeeded but it was way over done in the book.

i think luc’s dad coming back was very pointless, i think the breakup at the end was even more pointless. i feel like the best parts of the book are when luc and oliver were alone, when they were “feeling their feelings” in the dark or being quietly supportive of each other like at the dinner with luc’s dad or the charity fundraiser but that was mostly on oliver’s part. oliver was my favorite character 99% of the time, the breakup was absolutely pointless and threw the entire timeline out the window. i am excited to read the rest of the series and i hope it gets better from here.
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Go to review page

2.0

it’s very boring, there’s not much plot or substance to what’s going on. it feels like different episodes of a reality show in their lives. some moments are kind of funny or sarcastic but overall it felt like a waste of time, it was really predictable and some of the deeper moments are explained or explored and the storyline bounces from problem to problem with very quick resolve and no further consequence. around page 300 i started skipping through, it was getting really hard to stay focused and care about the characters. the smut is well written and good spice but by the middle of the book it’s annoying because nothing else is happening and it’s the same five lines over and over like we’ve already read it.
Husband Material by Alexis Hall

Go to review page

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

okay. let’s start.

i think this is the worst book i have ever read.

why the book starts off with oliver and luc being in a negative place i don’t understand. it’s two years later and there’s no real recap of those years, it really doesn’t make sense for them to be fighting already and oliver is barely in the first half of the book??

it could just be me but i feel like there’s a lot of big plot points crammed into both of these books, almost like each chapter is completely different. it makes everything messy and confusing. tom “cheating” but not really, jojo worried about miles selling him out, luc’s dad, forgetting the wedding dress, alex’s wedding, oliver’s family and dad’s funeral, uncle jim kind of but not really coming out, oliver trying to get luc to break up with him, oh my god too much happened that nothing made sense.

oliver and luc constantly miscommunicating is childish, i keep forgetting that they’re thirty - THEY’RE THIRTY - and they’re both incapable of having a “difficult” conversation without nearly breaking up or over apologizing. how are they two years into their relationship and they start having a “you’re not gay enough conversation” AT MILES’ WEDDING and then about fifty more times throughout the book.

the whole book is centered around everyone else in their life getting married, i wish there was more build up to the proposal and wedding planning but it’s just “let’s get married” “okay cool” and there’s no relationship development, they’re constantly fighting or disagreeing or generally being unhappy. the book should be called three weddings and a funeral.

NEARLY CALLING OFF THE WEDDING EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER. oliver and luc are terrible together, they do nothing but fight and argue and are both wildly insecure. finally getting to the last chapter and actually canceling the wedding is absolutely ridiculous. i’m surprised i even finished the book.

the honest to god ONLY thing that i actually liked about literally the entire book was the pretty woman scene.
A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy

Go to review page

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

i was really disappointed with this one, i was so excited for it and it just wasn’t worth it in the end. the plot twist could be seen from miles away and emmett was so annoying the whole story. i really don’t think there was much of a point to the story. i wish there was something more with verna and wanda because that was the only reason i was sticking around.
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Go to review page

2.0

2/5 • i was really excited for this just because it was the next book and everyone seems to keep it in the main series line up despite it being a novella and really i couldn’t wait for it to be over.

i hope there’s some bits of this story in the fourth book like the art studio and it’s not just a throw away background plot piece.

also feyre is so obviously pregnant or very nearly about to be it’s ridiculous.