{Review} The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Page Count: 352

Published On: November 5, 2019

Published By: Berkley

Genre(s): romance, contemporary, adult fiction, 

Source: eBook copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4 stars

Content: Adult content within

Goodreads synopsis:

The first rule of this book club:
You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major-league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him. 

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner-hero and win back the trust of his wife.

~ ~ ~

Hey, guys!

It's been a hot minute since I read this super-fun book, but I can promise that the time away from it has caused me to love it more than I initially did. This book was honestly so much fun to read and I didn't want to put it down. I love Lyssa Kay Adam's writing and I cannot wait to get my hands on the companion sequel, Undercover Bromance.

When I first read and finished this book, it was just okay to me. The writing was alright, the romance was decent, and the feminist message seemed parody-like. However, after thinking about it for about 2 months, I realized how much the story genuinely resonated with me.

In contemporary romances like this, there are hardly any romances that are between married couples -- and hardly any between a struggling couple. I adore how this story executed this romance because it was genuinely real and it didn't seem majorly fabricated to me. Sometimes I will go into a romance and it will be majorly cheesy and cutesy, but this was cheesy in the best way and realistic. I love love love when a romance can stay a bit cliched and cute, but also realistic. The best IRL romances are this way, so why can't our books be that way too? 

When I first went into this book, I was worried that this would be wholly focused on repairing the marriage and there would be 0 romance scenes where their spark was being rekindled (i.e. no sexy scenes). That sounds so dumb, but the entire premise surrounds their sex lives! Cut me some slack! Thankfully, my doubts were in vain because Adams really knows how to give characters chemistry. This was so raw, real, and human. I loved it so much!

The focus that this book has on family was just so wholesome and good. I loved the scenes that were focused on repairing their family dynamic and actually loving and taking care of their daughters. I love love love those little girls. This was beautifully done. I need more.

2019 has been a year of cheesy and wonderful romance books. I'm not sure if you've paid attention to my reading choices over the past year, but I've been reading all of the romance books. (They all have similar covers and are so much more than the cheesy romance books you find in used book stores, promise.) Whenever I go into a romance, I kind of throw away my expectations when it comes to the writing. Of course, I absolutely want fantastic writing and a style that resonates with my taste, but if the characters are good, the smutty scenes are decent, and there's an element that makes it original and compelling -- I'll read it. Romance books are quick like that. I'm into it. Anyway, when I go into a book like this, I don't have majorly high expectations. Thankfully, this book's writing style, pacing, and development was A+ fantastic. However, I found myself just groaning and annoyed when the guy characters would basically preach about women and feminist topics. The entire tone and wording choices were so out-there different that it wasn't real or their original voices. It was 100% the author preaching. Of course, I agreed with what they were saying 100%, but it wasn't subtle or authentic! It was almost parody-ish or random. I love a woke male character, but the execution for these parts was just not done well.

After I read this book, I watched a video where Whitney, from the YouTube channel, WhittyNovels discussed this book and she basically hit all of the points that I hit in this review (of course she is was more passionate and had more detail because she was talking about it as she read and reviewed it), but she described it in her Goodreads review as "a Nicholas Sparks book would be if Nicholas Sparks books were actually good" and I cannot agree more. This book was so much fun and so complex, but it was actually written well.

I definitely recommend this book. I'm hoping to get a copy of it soon. 

Happy reading! Please expect more blog posts from me soon! I'm back and better than ever!

Olivia
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{Review} The Tea Dragon Society, The Tea Dragon Festival, & Dewdrop by Katie O' Neill

Hey, guys!

This summer I fell deep into love with Katie O'Neill's writing style, art style, and overall skill. Her books are so engaging and entertaining. I've loved all three that I have read and they have been instant 5-star reads.  

If you adore beautiful art, wholesome and complex stories with wonderful and complex characters, and engaging story-lines --- YOU WILL LOVE THESE BOOKS! 

Please read these books! They deserve every bit of hype that they receive!

Dewdrop is out April 7, 2020

an eARC copy of this book was provided via NetGalley!

This is such a wonderful and uplifting little book.

Dewdrop is so encouraging and works to empathize with their friends to try to make sure that they aren't damaging their mental or physical health.

The different characters all have different struggles that they face. They all overcome their issues with simple, relatable solutions, and they're generally positive and relatable overall.

I think that this is such an important little book for young readers. It shows readers that everyone struggles at times, but with the proper encouragement and a different look on life, you can accomplish anything. I cannot wait to share this with my younger reader friends, older friends, kiddos --- well, anyone! This was such a delight!

I'm definitely going to be a long-term Katie O'Neill fan! 

The Tea Dragon Festival was released September 17, 2019

An eARC was provided via NetGalley for my honest review

This was such a lovely and perfect little story. I absolutely adore everything about this story, the art style, the plot, and the characters. The representation in this book was so freaking wonderful! Wonderfully done! I loved learning more and more about the world of dragons and tea dragons. I'm so in love with this world. I hardcore recommend this book to anyone who loves whimsical, lovely, soft stories. Everything by Katie O'Neill is perfect so far.

The Tea Dragon Society was released on October 31, 2017

I borrowed this sweet book from my local library

This was such a perfect story. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel so much emotion! If you haven't read this beautiful story yet, you are missing out!

Katie O'Neill has a magical, heartwarming storytelling skill that I rarely find in my favorite books. I tend to go for the darker, more violent stories and protagonists, but this book and her later books made me really appreciate the more wholesome and fluffy aspects that I love in my favorite characters, fantasy worlds, and my dragon babies. 

I don't want to spoil too much of this book, but I honestly think that every moment of it is perfect. I cannot wait to read it again and binge all of O'Neill's books. She deserves the world!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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{Review} Roar Like A Dandelion by Ruth Krauss and Sergio Ruzzier

Page Count: 48

Published On: October 1, 2019

Published By: Harper Collins

Genre(s): Children's, Picture, Early Learning

Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

From Ruth Krauss, the children’s book author of The Carrot Seed and A Hole Is to Dig, comes this never-before-published ABC book of one-liners—brought to life by artist Sergio Ruzzier.

Dance with a leaf.

Jump like a raindrop.

Sit in the sun and shine.

~~~

Hey, guys!

This book was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review.

This was a really quirky and lovely book for early readers. I really enjoyed the art style, the clever one-liners for each letter, and the many engaging qualities fo the little characters.

This is definitely going to be a favorite of the little babies and 1-5 aged kiddos. They are going to love to make the sounds and sound out the words. It's simple enough to challenge early readers, engage the non-reading readers, and inspire kids to continue to read.

Bravo Krauss and Ruzzier!

Happy reading!

Olivia

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{Review} I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

Page Count: 272

Published On: October 1, 2019

Published By: HarperCollins

Genre(s): Children's, Middle Grade, Realistic

Source: Hardback provided by the publisher
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 2.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

In her debut middle grade novel—inspired by her family’s history—Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family’s secrets—and finds her own Native American identity.

All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers.

Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,” and photos of a woman who looks just like her.

Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?

~~~

Hey, guys!

This book was gifted to me by the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review.

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day follows young Edith (Edie) and her journey to self-acceptance, discovering her heritage and background, and coming to terms with the changes in her life. Edie has grown up knowing that she was half-Native American; however, she really doesn't have a connection to her NA roots. Because of her mother's adoption, she only really knows about her father's side of the family and her mother's adopted family. Until the beginning of the novel, she doesn't really think she'll ever get answers about her mysterious Native American side. 

One day, Edie and her friends discover a box full of letters and memorabilia from a woman that looks just like her -- a woman named Edith. This then leads Edie to question everything her parents have ever told her. Who is this Edith? Is her mother keeping her Native American family and heritage from her?


This book had a lot of promise, but unfortunately, I really didn't enjoy it as much as I would have anticipated. The writing was quite choppy, the characters were boring and lacked a depth that I would have hoped for in a shorter novel, and the relationships were half-baked. Not only that, but the pacing in the story was just extremely slow. The beginning and the end of the book were the best parts, but I felt like nothing really happened in the middle. There were a few scenes in there that I felt could have been cut. They slowed the pace and didn't add anything to the story. There was also a minor conflict between two of the characters that I felt like could have been handled much neater. There is a better way to handle a friendship breaking up than making one party the bad guy and leaving it at that. 

However, there were some really great discussions, really wonderful representation, and a really powerful overall message. The ending of the book was really its redeeming part. I wish that this story had been much longer. I honestly think that it could have been a novelette or short story. 270~ pages was just too long for me. 

I'm sort of glad that I didn't DNF this book, but full transparency, I wanted to during the entirety of the middle. 

Overall, this wasn't my favorite story, but I think that it will resonate with a lot of people and it will be really important for so many people. I'm excited to see this book on the shelves of so many younger readers. 

Thank you, HarperCollins for sending me this little book!

Happy reading!
Olivia
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{Review} Dinosnores by Sandra Boynton

Page Count: 24

Published On: September 3, 2019

Published By: Workman Publishing Company

Genre(s): Children's, Picture Book

Source: board book provided by publisher and Bookish First
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

“Honk SHOOOOOO! Honk SHOOOOOO! . . .”     

The snoring goes on, on and on through the night. They never stop snoring till the first morning light.
 
Ah, all those dinosaurs look so cute in their pajamas. See them yawn and stretch and brush their teeth. Soon they’ll be sound asleep, and . . . OH NO! SNORING!!!
 
Little kids love big dinosaurs. They also love the sublime silliness of Sandra Boynton books. So what better way to wind down at the end of the day than with DINOSNORES, a rhyming and rhythmic ritual of getting ready for bed—featuring a pile of loudly snoozing dinos.

~~~

Hey, guys!

This was such a wonderful little board book. Once again, Sandra Boynton has created such beautiful art and a story that will captive the youngest readers. i absolutely adored this little story and I was so happy to revisit the author that is such a lovely part of my childhood. 

This story is so freaking delightful and I cannot recommend it enough for the little readers in your life. I cannot wait to read Sandra Boynton stories to my own future kids. 

This book is recommended for readers 0-8, is printed as a thick board book that will withstand any sticky, little fingers. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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{Currently Marathoning} The Last Kids On Earth (New on Netflix!)

Hey, guys!

Who remembers my reviews for The Last Kids On Earth #4: The Cosmic Beyond? I absolutely loved this middle-grade book. The characters were hilarious and diverse, the story was so imaginative and colorful, and the monsters and conflict were so much fun! 

The book series has been adapted for an animated series on Netflix! Not only does it follow the books, but it's also free to watch for any Netflix watcher on September 17! That means you can watch it now!

~ S Y N O P S I S ~

Ever since the monster apocalypse hit the town, average thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan has been living in his treehouse, which he's armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew scavenged from abandoned stores. But Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack's loyal pet monster, Rover; and Jack's crush, June. With their help, Jack is going to slay Blarg, achieve the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success, and be average no longer! Can he do it? 

Told in a mixture of text and black-and-white illustration, this is the perfect book for any kid who's ever dreamed of starring in his or her own comic book or video game. And then grab the rest of the series, now a New York Times bestseller!

~~~

I love this series and I cannot wait to finish my binge-session of this animated series. The fifth installment of the series, The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade, was just released as well, so I cannot wait to binge it as well! 

Order It Here!

~Amazon

~Barnes and Noble

~Book Depository

Interested in the series? Here's the first page!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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{Review} Rules For Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

Page Count: 416

Published On: September 24, 2019

Published By: Viking Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): YA, Horror, Mystery 

Source: paperback ARC provided by publisher and Bookish First
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

TW: suicide attempt, death of a loved one, loss of a sibling, domestic abuse, child abuse, murder, death, and gore







Goodreads synopsis:

In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister--at all costs.

Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough to find her--and who won't make it out of the woods?

It's been exactly one year since Sara's sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn't know whether her former friends no longer like her...or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged friends to "play the game" and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca--before she's lost forever. And even though she's hardly spoken with them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends--and their cameras--following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other side.

~~~

TW: suicide attempt, death of a loved one, loss of a sibling, domestic abuse, child abuse, murder, death, and gore

Hey, guys!

When going into this book, I really thought I was going into a psychological thriller that I would be completely blown away by. This was not the case.

When I first read this book's sneak peek, I was so excited to read the story and finally be impressed with a YA horror novel. I've never really been one for a spooky, ghosty story -- I love a monster story, but this just wasn't the monster that I wanted. I truly expected a psychological thriller, rather than a fantastical horror situation.

I really liked the concept behind the format of this book, but, unfortunately, the format really inhibited me from connecting to the characters, their personalities, and their stories. I really wanted to care about them, but it really felt jarring when you would go from format to format and perspective to perspective. It was also really hard to differentiate between the characters and remember who they were.

Overall, this was a pretty fun book. I wasn't terrified, but the twists and turns were fun. I guessed some of them, but I was surprised enough to be entertained. It was also really great to have such a wonderfully diverse cast. They were great. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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(Review} Storm (Elementals #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Page Count: 432

Published On: April 24, 2012

Published By: Kensington

Genre(s): Fantasy, Paranormal, YA

Source: ebook - personally purchased
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

Trigger warnings for rape, attempted rape, and violence

Goodreads synopsis:

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys-- the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her.

Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water--just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming...

~~~~

Hey, guys!
Please enjoy this ramble-y review of this fun book by Brigid Kemmerer, a queen of fantasy and contemporary romance -- and now she's a queen of paranormal fiction in my heart. 


Trigger warnings for rape, attempted rape, and violence

This story has a lot of promise but was obviously from the early 2010s if not the late 2000s. This isn't a negative point, but I just felt it was pretty obvious. (And I was correct! It was originally published in 2012. Point to Olivia!)

Overall, this wasn't Brigid's best work, but it was her first published novel! It was a wonderful paranormal novel and I enjoyed it immensely, but it just could not compare to her recent YA contemporaries and A Curse So Dark and Lonely.

I really enjoyed the four brothers. They were super fun and I loved to get to know them. However, their classic white boy names(TM) really confused me sometimes. They were just too similar and they were all mainly names that came from the Bible -- angel's names too. I kept getting Gabriel and Michael mixed up. Their voices were also quite similar to each other so, sometimes I would forget who was talking. I know that Brigid's skill for name differentiating wholly improves, so I'm not particularly worried about the rest of the books.

Becca was a really fun character to get to know too. She was so strong-willed and independent and I love her for that. The horrific things that happen to her, I feel, were a bit glazed over, but I also think that that is because of the internal shame that she feels about it.

I guess the only nit-picky thing I have to say about it is that I wish that there were actual trigger warnings for it in the book. I'm not typically triggered by rape or rape-centered discussions, but I really felt Becca's panic and hurt surrounding the events and I wish that there was some sort of warning. I cannot imagine what it would feel like if I just read something like this if that was something that triggered me. I personally think that the book is feminist af and great, but I wasn't those who read my reviews to be aware that this is in the book.

Overall, this was a really fun paranormal novel and I will absolutely be continuing on with the series. I'm completely attached to these characters and the story that she introduced. I love elemental magic and this is the ATLA-high school drama-paranormal contemporary-goodness that I need in my life.

I was also blessed enough to snag the ebook on Amazon for $1.99 and it is still a discounted price, so hop on that, friends!



Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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August 2019 Reading Wrap Up + September TBR

Hey, guys!

This month was surprisingly very productive! By the middle of the month, I began to get really slumpy because I was dreading going back to school. I hate the start of school but I love it so much at the same time. August and September tend to be my worst reading months because I'm trying to juggle my life, but still keep my sanity and not explode into a disgusting mess.

Here are the books that I read in August!

Caraval by Stephanie Garber ~ 3 stars

- This was a reread and I was honestly let down. I didn't love this as much as I did when it first came out. However, I will be continuing on with the series and I'm really excited to see where the story goes. 

reread via audio

{original 5-star review}

Ziggy Stardust & Me by James Brandon ~ 3.5 stars

- This was such an impactful and powerful read. 

This was kindly sent to me by Penguin. I have a full review posted!

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston ~ 3.5 stars

- This was such a wonderful roller coaster ride of a book! I cannot wait to get to the sequels! I absolutely adore Ashley Poston's writing and characters!

read via audio

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks ~ 5 stars

- This was the perfect graphic novel. Beautiful, fluffy story combined with gorgeous art and puns? Hello! Yes, please! This is the perfect fall story. I love love love this book!

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff ~ 5 stars

- This is one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. Jay Kristoff is quickly becoming an all-time favorite author. I cannot wait for the release of Darkdawn and to get to Godgrave! This book was so phenomenal. 

read between e-format and physical format

{review}

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen ~ 2.5 stars

- This was also another let down of a read. It isn't something I would normally pick up. I picked this up via audiobook, but I ended up finishing the book physically because I really didn't enjoy the narrator. Although this story was well written, the twists were pretty fun, and the characters were interesting; however, the story was just so slow and uneventful. I do not think I will read another book from these authors. 

read via audio

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

- Well, I finally read this enchanting book! Who is surprised that I was completely blown away and in love with this story? 

started via audio (hated it), read 90% physically

{check out my review here!}

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman - 4 stars

Another masterpiece. Granted, I docked the story a star just because I found the story's pace quite slow, but the content is so fantastic and I love Aziraphale and Crowley. I love them with all my heart. Not to mention, the mini-series is so phenomenally done. I absolutely binged it with the fiance before I finished the book. 10/10.

read via audio

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - 4.5 stars 

- Another series that i started right before school started... then leading me to wait to actually continue the books because I do not have any time to read for fun now. 

read 90% via audio, finished physically

{check out my review and gush here}

Dinosnores by Sandra Boynton ~ 5 stars

- This was graciously sent to me by the publisher. This is such a cute and heartwarming board book. I definitely want to acquire more books by Sandra Boynton for my potential child's future library. (No I'm not pregnant and I won't be for a hot minute. I am engaged, so now I'm trying to consider things for my future little family.)

Night of Knives (Shades of Magic Graphic Novels #8) by V.E. Schwab, Andrea Olimpieri, and Budi Setiawan ~ 3 stars

- This was a bit of a letdown, but it was still good. The previous chapter to the story was so engaging and fast-paced and fantastic, but I felt like this chapter was just not that great. The pacing was so off, the characters were being cliche, and the art style wasn't shining through. The characters looked really similar to each other this time. 

I still cannot wait for more installments to the series. I love V.E. Schwab.

read via e-book through my library

# of Pages Read: 3,617

Physical: 5

Audio: 5

eBooks: 1

What did you read this month? What was your favorite book?

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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