{Review} Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (The Hunger Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins

Page count:  439

Published on: May 9, 2020

Published by: Scholastic Press

Genres: YA dystopia, science fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

~ ~ ~

Hey, guys!

When Ballad was first announced, I was really excited to dive back into the world of the Hunger Games, but really, I was just ecstatic to read more from Suzanne Collins. Her books and style are just so well done and give me so much nostalgia for a simpler time. When I first read the Hunger Games series, I was in middle school and the class that I was in was so much fun. I've never had a classroom dynamic like that since. Additionally, Collins' Underland Chronicles are just freaking fantastic. I definitely want to do a reread soon because they are flawless. Read them.

Surprisingly, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was genuinely a good read and didn't disappoint. I'm not saying that because it was a nostalgic experience, I'm really impressed with how this book was written. 

There are a lot of readers who were just not happy with how this book was laid out and I can see how their reading experience would lead them to their conclusions. However, I fully believe that everyone reads differently. When I started this book I was purely looking to have my questions answered when it comes to how Snow became so freaking evil, how the Capitol became what it was, and how the war went down initially.  

Snow is obviously malevolent and the bad guy in the original trilogy. There was no way that Collins could escape the actual terror that Snow inflicted upon so many people. But -- hear me out. Reading how his villain origin story developed was deliciously fascinating. When I read this book, I found myself really connecting with Snow. His thought processes were flawed, but his grappling feelings about good, evil, morality, justice, etc. were so fascinating. He seems to be a fairly morally gray character at first, but he really dives deep into his flawed, greedy perspective as the novel develops. It's just so interesting to me! To me, Ballad is fascinating because it's a character study, an examination of how a great nation can fall into evil and greed, and how hardship can cause a nation to be incredibly divided and brainwashed into separatist ideals. 

This book wasn't perfect. There were moments where I felt like things were drawn out too far and the pacing would lag. The romance? -- Shouldn't have happened. However, I enjoyed the dynamic between the two, but I really wish that the book had been broken up between Lucy Gray and Snow's perspective in a sort of dual perspective execution. I feel like it would have really added a sense of complexity to the whole situation. While Lucy Gray was incredibly mysterious and smart, I really wanted a peek into her mind. I have so many questions about her intentions and character development. I would have loved to get a glimpse of her experience in the arena. The parts about the development of the Games and the behind the scenes parts of the Games were interesting, but it grew kind of tiresome and bleh because we weren't in the thick of the action.     

Though the last 40% of the book was a bit slow and the stakes were supposed to be high, but you knew they were pretty low considering you knew Snow would eventually become what he is. But, I still enjoyed so many of the smaller elements. There were so many lovely references to the original trilogy and even more hints toward how Katniss's world became so bleak. I really enjoyed the stepping stones that Collins laid out that led you to discover how so many practices, laws, etc. came to be -- especially in the Capitol and District 12. 

Overall, I really liked this book. It made me incredibly emotional and the analysis that I did while reading this book made me really nostalgic for the original trilogy, really overwhelmed and sad for the world we are in today (because there were so many elements that were far too relevant, and it just made me have even more questions. I would have loved to have a sort of anthology with the history of Panem, the history of the games, and the influence that each of the Games had on Panem's overall culture and way of life. I love Suzanne Collins and I cannot wait to read more from her. 

I definitely encourage you to check this out if you're interested. It's a pretty polarizing read, but I think a lot of HG lovers will find things to take from it.

If you're interested to read my thoughts on the Hunger Games trilogy (2015-reread), I have a full series review up on my blog. If you're interested in reading my thoughts or following a reading vlog where I discuss the books with what I've learned from my last 4 years of college, let me know! I'd love to reread, annotate, and analyze these books. 

Happy reading,

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi // Book of the Month

{Review} Not Like the Movies (Waiting for Tom Hanks #2) by Kerry Winfrey

Page Count: 320

Published On: July 7, 2020

Published By: Berkley Romance

Genre(s): Adult contemporary romance

Source: eARC provided by NetGalley
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

What happens when your life is a rom-com...but you don't even believe in true love?

Chloe Sanderson is an optimist, and not because her life is easy. As the sole caregiver for her father, who has early-onset Alzheimer's, she's pretty much responsible for everything. She has no time—or interest—in getting swept up in some dazzling romance. Not like her best friend Annie, who literally wrote a rom-com that's about to premiere in theaters across America...and happens to be inspired by Chloe and Nick Velez, Chloe's cute but no-nonsense boss.

As the buzz for the movie grows, Chloe reads one too many listicles about why Nick is the perfect man, and now she can't see him as anything but Reason #2: The Scruffy-Bearded Hunk Who's Always There When You Need Him. But unlike the romance Annie has written for them, Chloe isn't so sure her own story will end in a Happily Ever After.

~ ~ ~ 

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was so fun to read, but still not my perfect cup of rom-com tea. I found that I enjoyed Not Like the Movies much more than Waiting on Tom Hanks, but that was because there weren’t so many references to Tom Hanks and rom-coms that still haven’t seen or haven’t seen in literal AGES.

Not Like the Movies had some really lovely aspects:

•  Chloe — Goodness gracious, I loved her. She was golden-hearted, selfless, a baker, in-tune with her frustrations and adorations, and pretty oblivious at times. I think she’s a fantastic rom-com heroine. She was so freaking relatable and her personality was written and fleshed out so well. I loved her drive and overall nature.

•  NICK! Wow! I wish I had more of Nick in my life. He is the introverted, coffee, and chicken tortilla soup-loving hero that I need. He honestly reminded me so much of my fiancé and I’m so here for it. I loved that he primarily listened to sad, emotional music—because of same! However, I did wish that his backstory had been fleshed out more. He is such a great character, but I want more about how he ticks!

•  Annie’s flaws were addressed! She wasn’t my favorite in Waiting on Tom Hanks, but I’m glad that she wasn’t idolized and made into someone perfect. She still kind of annoys me.

•  UNCLE DON & TYLER! I LOVE THEM!!!

•  GARY! What a beautifully strange older man. He was eccentric and the comedic relief that I always will want in rom-coms.

•  FRED! What a beautiful man and a great partner. He’s going to be so good for Milo.

•  The humor!!! Ugh so many good lines:

“Fred is an angel with a body that won’t quit, and I hope he never leaves you.”

“Annie snort-laughs so hard that she spits Sprite all over her plate.”

“A person shouldn’t make you feel like they always have one foot out the door...”

This was a gem and I’m eager to see what else Kerry Winfrey does next. I need a novella from Don and Tyler’s POV && Fred and Milo’s — I need those now, please.

Please stay well out there, friends!
Olivia
~Liv the Book Nerd~
Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi // Book of the Month

{Review} Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Page Count: 400

Published On: January 14, 2020

Published By: Page Street

Genre(s): YA fantasy

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

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

It has always been Eda’s dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she’s convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.

Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he’s trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.

Set in the same universe as Joanna’s debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, Beyond the Shadowed Earth combines her incredible world-building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead. 

 ~

This ARC was sent to me for an honest review. All thoughts, feelings, and opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was provided for this review.

Hey guys, 

If you've been following me for a while, you'd likely know of my deep love for all things Norse mythology and Norse-inspired. In 2019, I had the pleasure of reading Joanna Ruth Meyer's Echo North, a retelling of the Norse tale of "East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon." I enjoyed it so much and I instantly started to follow Joanna's writing journey through her Twitter and Instagram. I love her style and she's such a kind human with an adorable family. 

In June, I had commented on one of her photos of her ARCs for Earth and she DM'd me and asked for my info so that she could have her publisher send me a copy. I yelled. However, I was so excited that I decided to wait until closer to the publishing date so that I didn't have to wait even longer for her next book. Like a buffoon, I waited too long. School became intense, life was happening, and I had to finish other books for scheduled reviews. Long story short, I didn't finish the book until the beginning of February. What a journey.

Beyond the Shadowed Earth is a beautifully crafted story. It reminds me of my favorite stories from my childhood mixed with the badass women that I encountered as I started reading YA. The story follows Eda, an ambitious and selfish girl who just wants to be the empress of her country. In order to do that, she has to barter everything she loves to the gods. She makes risky deals with the god, Tuer, and begins to lose everything she loves. To reclaim her empire and to recover all that she loses, she has to adventure to the mountain that Tuer is trapped in and kill him. 

Joanna has a way of crafting worlds that I could get lost in for the rest of my life. The world that she's created in this novel is just so fantastic and I want to dive deeper into the mythology and the intricacies that follow a large pantheon. She did such a great job when creating spiritual and religious characters. I was completely captivated. However, in this book, I felt like I didn't know as much about the magic system or the processes of conjuring or calling the gods. Maybe that's because I haven't read the companion novel, Beneath the Haunting Sea, but I wish I had been given a bit more to grasp. 

Additionally, Joanna creates a fantastic cast of characters. I really loved to be irritated with Eda. She was so completely selfish and made the worst decisions, but it was so fun to yell at her whenever she did something dumb. She was really terrible at being politically savvy. She really didn't know what to do other than bully her way into power. I felt like she didn't really care at all about her country by the middle of the book. She was so focused on fixing her mistakes that she would just up and leave via horse and go to the temple. I really didn't enjoy the political aspects of this book because I felt like they weren't particularly believable. The parts of the novel where Eda was in the palace was where it fell flat for me. It just was a stretch to me. However, once she left to go on her quest, that's when I felt like the book picked up. The first hundred pages were excellent, the second hundred fifty were slow because we were trying to get to the quest and it just got slower and slower for me, and the last 250 were excellent because we were on the quest. I just wish that some of the filler stuff would have been cut down. It just slowed down the pacing. It was an excellent story, but the middle's pacing was just slow. 

I really loved the overall vibe of the story; however, I just wish that there had been more of an emphasis on the magic and the gods' influence on the worlds. It was a very character-driven novel, but I would have liked even more of the world. Eda was on my nerves enough that I wanted another perspective or something. 

Overall, this book was so much fun. I can't wait to read Joanna's next novel, Of Leaves and Stars. It hits all of the buzz-tropes and buzz-words that I adore in the books I read. I hope that I can get my hands on an ARC or something. 

Happy reading:
Olivia
~ Liv the Book Nerd ~
Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi // Book of the Month

{Review} Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Page Count: 320

Published On: March 10, 2020

Published By: Berkley

Genre(s): Adult contemporary romance

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

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction.

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assist Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart… even while she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.

~ ~ ~

This eARC was sent to me for an honest review. All thoughts, feelings, and opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was provided for this review.

Trigger and content warnings for: discussions on parental abandonment or neglect, sexual harassment and assault in the workplace, bullying, domestic abuse, blackmailing, & toxic masculinity

Hey, guys!

This book was just so much fun. I love Lyssa Kay Adams' writing style and the characters she creates. I'm so obsessed with the premise of her series. If you are unfamiliar with the Bromance Book Club series, essentially it is a companion series that follows a cast of male characters that are struggling with their romantic relationships. To combat their varied struggles, they begin to read romance novels in order to learn about their partners and try to understand what they can do to aid their relationships or marriages and to understand their partners better. I love this premise because it's honestly such a wonderfully feminist concept. So often I find myself wishing that my romance novels follow a more feminist mindset, but it's often not quite there. Sexual harassment is a really important topic to discuss in this media climate. Women are stepping up and standing up for themselves when they are being treated abysmally and I love to see this discussed so respectfully in a romance novel. 

There were many parts of the novel that I adored and the hate-to-love and slow burn-types of romance was probably my favorite aspect. I absolutely adored how Adams approached the relationship between Liv and Mack. They're polar opposites and they are so passionate about the things that are important to them. I loved their arguments and their interactions. The characters, themselves, were very realistic and so easy to love. I found myself laughing out loud when they continued to be hilarious and yelling at them whenever they were being complete idiots. 

• Mack is such a softy, but he's also a total idiot...but the best kind if that makes sense. His emotional backstory made me so emo, but finally realizing what caused him to react and act the way he does...it just made everything make sense when it comes to his angsty, devil-may-care attitude. I loved him so much. He's honestly so funny and charming and I would love to be best friends with him. 
• Liv is a girl after my own heart. I love how she stands up for what she believes in, I love the vulnerable side that causes her to lash out and become extremely testy and grumpy, and I love how flustered she became when around Mack. Her backstory also made me very emo. 
• Oh my goodness can we also appreciate Hop and Rosie? I really want a novella from their perspectives too. I need the details that we didn't get in the book. I need it yesterday. 
• RUSSIAN! Can we please have a book that follows him, please? He really stole the show whenever he was on page. His desire for cheese and extreme lactose intolerance really spoke to me. In 2019, I finally accepted that I too was lactose intolerant. However, I LOVE cheese so much. It's not a fun transition and Russian's desire for cheese no matter what is so relatable. Not only is he a cheese lover, but he's also a softy and in-tune with his emotions. I love love love him. I need a book to follow him. 

This was even better than The Bromance Book Club. I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to see what Lyssa Kay Adams comes up with next. I need her next book ASAP!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi // Book of the Month

Top 19 of 2019 Reads

Hey, guys!

This year has been such a great reading year. I read over 150 books and managed to read a wider variety of books compared to some of the past years. This year was a year of rereads, adult fantasy, and branching out. I'm so happy with what I read, but I cannot wait to dive into more books in 2020. 

I didn't think I'd actually have 19 favorites from 2019, but when compiling these books, I instantly picked out 19. I also have some fantastic runner ups, so stay tuned for those too! 

Here are my top 19 reads from 2019!

Full disclosure. Discussing my favorite books tends to result in cookie-cutter gushes. I just adore these books and sometimes it's much easier to hate a book than love it -- or at least it's easier to discuss why I hate/dislike a book than if I absolutely adore it. Please read these books.

I also do not think I have a #1 favorite from this stack. I'm so passionate about Daisy, Circe, TWK, QON, Curse, and RW&RB that I cannot decide which of them are my favorites. As I type this, I really want to just bold them all because they are all so phenomenal, but I'm reigning myself in. You're welcome. I'll bold those 6 to indicate which of them are my top faves, but please read these books because they are so wonderful and meaningful stories that I hold so dear to my heart. 

If you need a book recommendation or if you want to read any of these and need help or advice on where to start, DM me or email me! @livthebooknerd on Instagram or livthebooknerdblog@gmail.com! 

Top 19 of 2019:

1. Circe by Madeline Miller 
• 5 stars
• This book has just stuck with me since I read it this summer. The beauty of the prose and the voice of Circe has just stuck with me and I cannot fully explain what this book means to me, but I will try. Not only does this perfectly encapsulate a woman's experience, it perfectly interweaves Greek mythology and introduces a misrepresented and underhyped character. Circe is everything. 
2. Daisy Jones + The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• 5 stars
• This book. What a unique and horribly fascinating story. I absolutely love the interview and personal history aspect of the story. The way that Reid weaves the various character's stories together is so genius. I cannot wait to read her next novel and to read the backlisted titles that I didn't get to in 2019. I read this physically, but I definitely recommend the audiobook too. It's probably the best way to do it.
3. Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
• 4.5 stars
• This was such a fun and diverse sort of romance book. It was quite cheesy and fluffy but had so much substance that made it so freaking original and fun. I love the representation (black girl rep, chronic pain rep, abusive relationship rep) that was throughout this book. It was so well thought out and just so much fun. I listened to this via audiobook and the audiobook narrator was so phenomenal. 
4. A Curse So Dark & Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
• 5 stars
• This book was such a wonderful fantasy debut from Kemmerer. I love her contemporary fiction, but this really takes the cake. I absolutely adore the magic, the world, the characters, and the conflict. This was just too fun for words and I cannot recommend it enough. I cannot wait for A Heart so Fierce and Broken!
5. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
• 4.75 stars
• This was also everything. I absolutely loved the magic system, the magical libraries with the monster books, the tall female protagonist, the bisexual male romantic partner, and a cat-like secretly caring demon servant friend. I just loved everything about this book. Margaret Rogerson can do no wrong.
6. The Wicked King (Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black
• 5 stars
• This is everything. I died consistently while reading this book. The twist at the end made me so anxious to read QON at the end of the year. A whole year to wait was so agonizing.
7. The Queen of Nothing (Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black
• 5 stars 
• This was the finale that I needed. I was so freaking impressed. Holly Black also set up some characters to have continued stories and I need it now.
8. Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
• 4.8 stars
• This Viking/Scandanavian inspired story was EVERYTHING! I adore Aska and Fiske to the moon and back and I cannot wait to continue reading The Girl the Sea Gave Back and the ARC of Fable that I have. Adrienne Young is an instant new favorite author. I adore her.
9. Tunnel of Bones by V.E./Victoria Schwab
• 4.5 stars
• This was just so fantastic! I adore everything about Victoria Schwab's middle-grade writing. Her magic worlds are so addicting and I cannot wait for book #3 and to read more of her work in 2020.
10. With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
• 4 stars
• This was such a wonderfully written novel. I adore Elizabeth Acevedo's writing and her characters so much. I listened to this via audio and I definitely recommend it for your experience. This was such a poignant and important novel. I cried so hard at the end and throughout the story.
11. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
• 5 stars
• This book was everything I needed. Please read this via audiobook. This is everything you need in a contemporary. 
12. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
• 4.9 stars
• This book is everything that I needed in a fantasy novel. Not only was it masterfully done, it was smart and full of snark and sass. I cannot wait to continue on with Godsgrave and Darkdawn in 2020. I need it.
13. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crowe by Jessica Townsend
• 4.5 stars
• This was everything that I needed in a middle-grade fantasy novel. This story and this book series has such a fun conflict and premise and such a wonderfully complex magic system. I love everything about it. I cannot wait for book #3!
14. Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau
• 5 stars
• Such a perfect graphic novel! I adore adore adore this story. I love the baking parts of the story and the wonderful romance that progressed throughout. The art style and the color story throughout is so gorgeous too. It's just so visually stunning. love this so much. 
15. Check Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
• 4.5 stars
• Another fantastic graphic novel. I absolutely adored this queer romance. I'm not one who is usually into hockey, but I loved the focus on hockey throughout this story. The friendships and the fun banter between the guys was so much fun. I cannot wait for Book 2.
16. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang 
• 4.5 stars
• Helen Hoang is a masterful writer. I cannot yell enough about her skill and my adoration for her stories. I cannot wait for her next book to come out. I'm so glad that I could read an ARC of this book and continue to put out a positive narrative about her stories.
17. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston
• 5 stars
• How can I gush anymore about this book? It's perfect and I cannot wait to reread it and read more from McQuinston. How can a debut novel be this wonderful?
18. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• 5 stars
• This book is such a wonderful examination and study of race and blackness in America. I adore everything about this book. I cannot wait to read more from Adichie. Her writing style is so addicting, quick, and thought-provoking. 
19. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E/Victoria Schwab
• 4.75 stars
• This was such a unique, dark, and addictingly magical. I cannot wait to read more from this series. I'm obsessed. I'm so upset that I couldn't continue on with the series while I was in school, but I cannot wait to continue the series in January.

Runner-Ups!

All of the books listed below hold such a warm place in my heart. All of them were so wonderful and nearly made my top faves list. You should definitely check these out too. 

All of my reviews or mini-reviews are linked in the title of each book. Click the title to read more of what I think of them.

1. The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston 
2. The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill
3. The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O'Neill
4. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks
5. Taproot by Keezy Young
6. Book Love by Debbie Yung
7. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
8. Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
9. More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
10. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
11. Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer
12. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Malhurin

Genre Break Down:

• Middle-grade fantasy: 2
• Adult fantasy: 3
• YA fantasy: 5
• YA contemporary/romance: 2
• Adult contemporary/romance: 5
• Graphic novel/comics: 2

I'd love to have my breakdowns to be more evenly distributed in the future, but I don't think that is something that can organically happen. I plan on reading more outside my comfort zone in 2020, so stay tuned. 

You can follow my reading journies on Instagram @livthebooknerd and on Goodreads {click here}. I will also be posting more frequently here now that my college years are wrapping up. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi

{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
Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Book of the Month affiliate link

{Review + Playlist} Ziggy Stardust & Me by James Brandon

Page Count: 368

Published On: August 6, 2019

Published By: GP Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): YA, LGBT, Historical, Young Adult

Source: 
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository 

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis

In this tender-hearted debut, set against the tumultuous backdrop of life in 1973, when homosexuality is still considered a mental illness, two boys defy all the odds and fall in love.

     The year is 1973. The Watergate hearings are in full swing. The Vietnam War is still raging. And homosexuality is still officially considered a mental illness. In the midst of these trying times is sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins, a bullied, anxious, asthmatic kid, who aside from an alcoholic father and his sympathetic neighbor and friend Starla, is completely alone. To cope, Jonathan escapes to the safe haven of his imagination, where his hero David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and dead relatives, including his mother, guide him through the rough terrain of his life. In his alternate reality, Jonathan can be anything: a superhero, an astronaut, Ziggy Stardust, himself, or completely "normal" and not a boy who likes other boys. When he completes his treatments, he will be normal--at least he hopes. But before that can happen, Web stumbles into his life. Web is everything Jonathan wishes he could be: fearless, fearsome and, most importantly, not ashamed of being gay.

     Jonathan doesn't want to like brooding Web, who has secrets all his own. Jonathan wants nothing more than to be "fixed" once and for all. But he's drawn to Web anyway. Web is the first person in the real world to see Jonathan completely and think he's perfect. Web is a kind of escape Jonathan has never known. For the first time in his life, he may finally feel free enough to love and accept himself as he is.

     A poignant coming-of-age tale.

~~~

Trigger/Content warnings: alcoholism, parental death, conversion therapy, shock therapy, racism, homophobia, abuse, bullying, potential sexual assault of a minor

Hey, guys!

This book was sent to me for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own. 

In 1973, homosexuality was seen as a terrible mental illness, Watergate was raging on, and Native Americans were standing up against adversity and fighting for their human rights.

Jonathan Collins is bullied, asthmatic, and extremely anxious about his mental health. To cope with all of that plus an alcoholic father, he escapes into David Bowie's hero, Ziggy Stardust and the music that guides his story. He tries to be normal, but when he meets Web, his world is turned upside down. Web is fearless, outspoken, and unapologetically gay. Everything that Jonathan wishes he could and couldn't be. 

This book was so freaking powerful. Do not go into this book thinking that it will be a fluffy and light-hearted read because it will tear out your heart and eat it for dinner. This is one of the most intense contemporary novels I've ever read and I'm so thankful for the discussions that it instigated and for how thought-provoking it was. The historical context, combined with Jonathan's poetic and stream-of-consciousness method of prose created such a colorful, yet extremely sad story. Throughout this book, there are so many mentions to Bowie's songs, his message, and the way that his music made so many feels. The fantastic musical culture from the 70s is so prevalent and wonderful. I also really loved the discussions that this book evoked surrounding the tense political happenings of the day. They're still so relevant, but it was so wonderful to see them handled so loudly and progressively (compared to the mind-sets of that society). 

The characters in this book were so compulsively lovable. I loved Jonathan's personality and I was just rooting for him for the entire book. I found myself so emotional as he struggled with the events of this book and his journey to healing and self-love. Web was such a lovely, passionate, and inspiring character that I loved to interact with. I feel like I would be really close friends with him if he weren't fictional. I love how he and Jonathan fell in love and I love how he helped Jonathan learn to love himself for who he is.  

This book is so important, and though it wasn't one of my all-time favorite books, I cannot wait to be here when the book gets all of the hype that it deserves.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE!

Please enjoy this playlist for this amazing book!

{click here for the playlist!}

AUTHOR BIO

James Brandon produced and played the central role of Joshua in the international tour of Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi for a decade, and is co-director of the documentary film based on their journey, Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption. He's the co-founder of the I AM Love Campaign, an arts-based initiative bridging the faith-based and LGBTQ2+ communities, and serves on the Powwow Steering Committee for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) in San Francisco. Brandon is a contributing writer for Huffington Post, Believe Out Loud, and Spirituality and Health Magazine. Ziggy, Stardust and Me is his first novel. 

You can visit James Brandon at justbejb.com

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // 

Book Depository Affiliate Code // Book of the Month link