RATING: 3/5 SPICE: 4/5 GENRE: Romance, Sapphic, Spicy, Forced Proximity So there is a lot to say about this book. Firstly, I did get this as an audiobook over the summer and withing a few minutes the narrator did not get me into it, so i left it on the back burner… The only reason I decided to push through and give this a chance (which honestly i am glad i did) is because i had zero pending audiobooks on NetGalley, and i had a week to wait for my next Audible credit. Anyway, so i restarted the book and it did start off really well. The story is a dual POV bouncing between young smart Cassie and distinguished and beautiful Erin. Cassie is avoiding parent’s weekend at her University because her family won’t be there and it isn’t really her thing, so she hits on the sexy older woman at the bar, Erin. Honestly, other than the wild sex they have in the car, it is a very good one night stand between two women. The problems begin with the drama… turns out the reason Erin was even at the bar is that it is parents weekend and she was there to see her daughter… but her daughter was spending that evening with her dad. Oh and that daughter so happens to be Cassie’s newest best friend. The plot is definitely THICK and dramatic. The whole relationship honestly gave me anxiety from that point forward, but that was beside the point; and honestly the premise and sex scenes were probably the best parts of this book. The issues I had with the novel are firstly, Parker (Erin’s adult daughter) acting like an immature child the entire time, making it hard to reconcile the fact that Cassie is both in a mature relationship with Erin and also friends with Parker. Then you have the god-awful dialogue and internal monologue and overall narration. If you don’t care for much of those details and just want some decently written sapphic sex, then pick up this book but if you need there to be some substance and good writing you should pick up something else.
0 Comments
RATING : 5/5 SPICE: 3/5 GENRE: ROMANCE, SAPPHIC, LGBTQ+ I am a big fan of Ashley Herring Blake and this series. Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is the third book in the series, preceded by Delilah Green Doesn’t Care and Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail. Just like the first two books in the series, I devoured this one. It was so much fun and easy to read. It’s one of those books that you read when you’ve just been in a slump and want something fun and quick paced to read. Just as the previous novels, Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date is a sapphic romance between just-for-a-good-time Iris Kelly and extremely-shy-and-vomit-anxious Stevie. The two have a “Meet-Cute” turned awkward before being thrown together being co-romantic-leads in a play. This book has hits so many checkboxes for me. Fake dating? Check. LGBTQ+ rep? Check. Bi-sexual trauma? Check. And even the added drama of Ex-Lovers to Friends being thrown in. It kept me intrigued throughout the entire book, not wanting to put the book down AND THERE WAS SPICE! Not a huge amount, but it definitely like a step up from the first two books in the series. I also want to mention, that it wasn’t just a fluff novel, and there were some very moving and deep moments regarding self-worth and how one’s sexuality can be so overly sexualized that it dehumanizes . This was a wonderful book and so glad it was my first book of 2024 because I really started the year on a great foot. GENRE: Romance, LGBTQ+, YA, Plus-Size RATING: 5/5 I absolutely loved this book. It was so well written and it was really perfect in regards to representation. THE DOs & DONUTS of LOVE has plus-size representation, LGBTQ+ representation and POC representation. Not only that, but this issues around fatphobia and racism in a way that doesn’t preach or pull out from the story. I could not put this one down. The novel address how food is so important and culturally significant. It touches on the idea that not eating food that was prepared for you was an insult but on the other hand being demonized and ridiculed and shamed for then for existing in a bigger body. How do you want me to eat but also be thin? I do love the fact that Shireen’s (MC) parents aren’t like that and love her regardless of her body; but it doesn’t change the fact that she experiences fatphobia. This novel also addresses a lot of racial issues without it being preachy or out of place in the story. Sometimes, when authors want to address racism in a novel, they have these monologues or parts of the story that do not really fit the rest of the tone or the story, just to say that they included discourse on race (this may not be the case but it can feel this way at times). Within the context of the characters and the novel, the discourse meshes in perfectly. It is great if you are someone who wants to lean about the discourse. If you love “British Bake Off”, Love Triangles, puns and donuts, I recommend you picking up this book ***I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*** RATING: 4/5 STARS GENRE: ROMANCE, LGBTQ, SAPPHIC I absolutely loved this novel. I have been wanting to read a sapphic novel with bi-representation and this one instantly caught my eye from the moment I saw the cover and immediately needed to pre-order it. It did not disappoint. While there was ONE trope that I CANNOT STAND that was included within the story, which is why I gave this novel a 4/5, it is still a great read. I just put this dislike as a personal preference. It was hilarious, there were so many amazing characters, all relatable in their own way. I enjoyed the dynamic of Clare, the bisexual young mother and balancing her love-life, her friendships, her ex and their daughter. I also loved Delilah and her artistic style, her tattoos and the struggles of growing up feeling unloved. I didn’t like Astrid for the longest time, but even as "unlikeable" of a character as I thought she was, I grew to love her as the novel progressed, and I am very excited at the announcement of her own story progressing. Ashley Herring Blake is very aware of our modern issues regarding bodies, motherhood and sexuality and she includes it within the story beautifully. I recommend picking up this book on your next bookstore visit. |
Categories
All
|