tanya-nicole:

“What loneliness is more lonely than distrust?”

— George Eliot, Middlemarch

Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021

Rating:  ★★★★★

Too Good to Be True is one of those books that just grabs ahold of you and won’t let you stop reading. When you think you know what’s going to happen, suddenly everything is spun a completely different way. I don’t want to spoil anything or give anyone clues or ideas, but this is a unique, interesting story filled with lies and betrayal then sprinkle some revenge and deception on top. Set both now and telling the story of thirty years ago you have to figure out who is lying, what they’re lying about, and why.

Too Good to Be True is a book to take a chance on, just go for it and read it without anyone’s reviews in your head!

Thank you to Carola Lovering, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Saylor Rains

Find me and this review on Goodreads.

Publication Date: January 5th, 2021

Rating:  ★★★★

The beauty of The Wife Upstairs is that the book is very clearly based on Jane Eyre but also in its own little parallel universe, not relying too heavily on staying true to the classic, which was so important in making this a new and interesting read.

In this book, twenty-three year-old Jane, a foster child who aged out of the system, is walking dogs for her rich neighbors and surviving by stealing things people wouldn’t miss. Then Jane meets Eddie Rochester, who is still the rich, handsome widower, even in this version. Quickly, Jane and Eddie fall into a whirlwind romance which inevitably ends in Eddie asking Jane to marry him. The only problem? Jane feels that Eddie is also keeping some secrets. The story leads you wanting to find out the truth and what really happened.

This book is great for those who enjoy the classics and also some modern thrillers, as well as people who enjoy lighter reading rather than the classics. It’s really an interesting combination of genres that would interest so many types of readers, which makes it great. Of course, it’s not actually Jane Eyre, one of my favorites, but it’s definitely an interesting, fun read.

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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 Saylor Rains

Find me and this review on Goodreads.

Rating:  ★★★★★

Trumanell Branson disappeared a decade ago, leaving behind a town that never forgot and people who never stopped trying to find her. Odette Tucker, the town’s youngest cop and one with personal ties to Trumanell and her family, is sliding down a slippery slope as she tries to solve this mystery and the one of the missing girl who showed up in a field with only one eye.

No description I give this book could do it justice. I’m heartbroken. This was one of those books that grabbed a hold of my nerves and my heart and just didn’t let go. The powerful imagery, complex plot, and atmospheric writing made for one of the most interesting books this year. The middle of this book made me gasp out loud, the change halfway through something you couldn’t have guessed.

This was a slow read that I definitely took my time with, but I didn’t ever lose my patience with it.

We Are All the Same in the Dark

grabbed my attention and wouldn’t give it back until I finished it. This story had so many layers built into it, it was a masterpiece of a “who-done-it” and makes the reader suspicious of every character at least once. Sip this one slowly like a fine wine and enjoy.

Thank you to Ballantine Books, Julia Heaberlin, and NetGalley for this arc.

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Saylor Rains

Find me and this review on Goodreads.

Half-year wrap-up

Five Feet apart — 5/5

The summer I turned pretty — 5/5

It’s not summer without you — 5/5

We will always have summer — 5/5

Geek girl 3/5

Side effects may vary 3/5

If I stay 3/5

My life with the Walter boys 3/5

The heartbreakers 4/5

What I like about you 3/5

The new normal 2/5

Catching Jordan 4/5

Anna and the french kiss 3/5

The start of you and me 4/5

The fault in our stars 5/5

The sun is also a star 5/5

To all the boys I’ve loved before 5/5

To all the boys I’ve loved before- PS I still love you — 5/5

Forever and Always Lara Jean- 5/5

I’ve loved most of the books I’ve read this year, but are a few that were mehish. ❤️

Nicole

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (#1) Book Review

1 girl, 5 boys, 5 letters, they were only meant for her eyes… until they were sent out…

Author: Jenny Han

Genre: Becoming of age, YA, Cotemporary, teen romance.

Age Rating: 13+

(check out Common Sense Media for a second opinion)

Rating: 4,81/5

 Synopsis

In this story, we get the perspective of Lara Jean Covey Song. She has only ever loved 5 boys, So to get over them she would write them a love letter, and store them I her blue hatbox her mom gave her, she could pour here heart out because she was the only one that would EVER read them. But then the letters get mysteriously sent out, causing her to get confronted by her 5 first loves. Maybe something good could come out of these letters?

 My Opinion

This book was so Captivating and such a whimsical cute read. This book makes you feel so many emotions all at one, such as: Happiness, Anger, Rage, Sadness, excitement and so much more. This book was soooo good. This book didn’t feel like one of those books where you highlight and take a moral out of, (this is a good thing) It felt like I was 6 again reading fairytales, you could just sit back relax and enjoy, except this storyline is nothing like A fairytale. Be prepared and have the second book next to you because, THE ENDING… It ends on such a cliffhanger, but it builds the suspense! There are so many plot twists and twists and turns I never saw coming. It is an impossible book to put down. Jenny Han is my favorite trilogy Author I have read nearly all her books and have loved all of them. I love her style of writing. She is so Clever that she makes you think what she wants you to think. SHE IS A MANIPULATOR (in a good way).

You will like it if…

You will like it if you are looking for a really captivating adorable trilogy (I know this is the first book review but once you done the first, you wont be able resist the next two!)

 Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

 By Nicole Hil

☀️The Sun is Also a Star Book Review⭐️

Have you ever felt an inexplicable connection to a stranger? An feeling that lasts a few seconds, maybe a minute, before they disappear from your life never to be seen again?

Author: Nicola Yoon

Age Rating: 13+

(CheckCommon Sense Media for a second opinion)

Rating: 4,89/5

Genre: Coming of age, YA, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis…

Natasha does not believe in fate, true love or anything that doesn’t have scientific evidence. Daniel is a poet. He believes that everything happens for a reason. They are polar opposites, but both have one thing in common… they both have their future laid out in front of them. Daniel is on his way to a Yale Appointment that his father has set up for him, he would much rather be a professional poet than a doctor. Natasha’s family are illegal immigrants, so she is been deportation back to Jamaica in 12 hours. But when they meet, in that one moment, she can’t help but think that maybe she’s been wrong her whole life.  But now’s not the time for love, or is it?

 My Thoughts…

I cold not put this book down. It was captivating and so powerful. I get goose-bumps just thinking about it. I loved how it was realistic and was not cliqued. Nicola Yoon should be applauded on her immaculate masterpiece. It mentions and/or discuses important topics like immigration, suicide, fate, love and so much more. I loved how it gave both Natasha’s and Daniel’s perspectives as well as random people that they impacted throughout the day, also their families and histories of all sorts. I could tell that Each chapter, page, paragraph, sentence, phrase, and word was perfectly thought out. The tension of the two main protagonists been absolute opposites really was lovely. After I read it I researched what the name of the book was about and it was so clever. There were so many quotes that I loved from this book, but this is my favourite “There is a Japanese phrase that I like: koi no yokan. It doesn’t mean love at first sight. It’s closer to love at second sight. It’s the feeling when you meet someone that you’re going to fall in love with them. Maybe you don’t love them right away, but it’s inevitable that you will.”

You will like it if…

You will like it if you are looking for a realistic, not cliqued but still really adorable book. I 100% would recommend this to any living, breathing person.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

By: Nicole Hil

Anna and the French Kiss Book Review

In the city of romance, could Anna find love for herself?

Rating: 3/5

Age rating: 13+

(checkherefor a second view)

Author: Stephine Perkins

Genre: YA contemporary romance

DISCLAIMER*: If I didn’t like this book as much as you, please don’t feel offended or something, we all have our own opinions and thoughts and all I’m trying to do is tell you what I thought.

Synopsis

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. But then her dad shippes her off to a boarding school in Paris, it feels like everything is going wrong, until she meets Étienne. St. Clair. Smart, charming, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend. But in the city of romance, could her biggest wish come true?

 My opinion…

I enjoyed this book, it was really cute read. In the moment, I loved this book, but once I thought about it a bit more, I realised this book didn’t have anything extraordinary about it. I forgot how the book ended a week after I read it (but that could just be my brain), but once I did refresh my brain, I remembered it was a really sweet ending! It was also a little bit cheesy and cliqued. Although all in all it was a sweet read.  

You will like it if…

You will like this if you are looking for a cute, short, and cheesy (in this case cheesy is nice) read.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 7/10

*Sorry about the disclaimer I don’t want anyone to get offended

By Nicole Hill❤️

Geek Girl (Geek Girl #1) Book Review

Harriet knows a lot of facts, like a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, how hard could modeling be. ^o^ ^0^

Rating: 4,17

Author: Holly Smale

Age: 11+

Genre: YA contemporary romance

Plot…

Geek girl is about a girl called Harriet Manners, a socially awkward geek who has no interest in fashion. When she gets spotted by the top modeling agency, she takes it as an opportunity to reinvent herself even if it means stealing her best friends dream and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of famous supermodel, Nick. As Harriet moves from one disaster to the next, she begins to realize that the fashion world likes her as much as the real world does and that reinventing herself doesn’t mean that she can forget who she is. Will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

 My opinion…

This book was a really sweet read. It was a perfect short cute read. This book was very suspenseful and was a very enjoyable. The romance in this book was so adorable and I would 100% recommend this book. It has a lot of morals hidden in the story. I really adored this book, and was an delightful and endearing book.

 You will like it if…

You will like this if you are looking for a cute, irresistible romance and high-school everyday life contemporary series.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 8/10

This is pretty good. Two more books in the series.

*Spoiler* Isa better end up with a Yautja boyfriend by book three

Do you like reading books ?

What type of books do you prefer to read?

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.

- Paul Sweeney

Source:@backstreetsoliloquies