Tag Archive for: 4.5 Stars

A Song to Drown RiversTitle: A Song to Drown Rivers
Author: Ann Liang
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 324
Length: 10h 22m
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Source: Owned
Reason: BotM Backlist
Rating:
Sexual Content: 1 Flames

My Thoughts

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is a story that’ll stay will me for a long time. It’s a beautifully tragic story about love, loss, betrayal, politics, and war. I’ve loved Asian folktales since I was a child and this one did not disappoint. Xishi, Fanli, Zhengdan, and Fanli’s friend (I don’t know how to spell his name since I listened to the audiobook and I can’t find it on Google). The ending felt a bit rushed and the end end reminded me of the movie Eternity. It made me wonder if it was really hopeful or actually more tragic. So much to think about.

Part of Your WorldTitle: Part of Your World
Author: Abby Jimenez
Series: Part of Your World #1
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 388
Length: 10h 5m
Narrator: Zachary Webber, Julia Whelan
Source: Library
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Sexual Content: 2.5 Flames

My Thoughts

PART OF YOUR WORLD was a fun opposites attract romance. I loved the setting of Wahkon, Minnesota and all the animals, especially Barrack Ollama (iykyk). I loved the idea of a white collar woman getting drawn into a blue collar world. I loved both Alexis and Daniel, their chemistry, and banter.

Even though PART OF YOUR WORLD is mostly fluff, it dealt with some hard topics–physical and emotional abuse, interactions between different classes, the idea of love in all its forms. I loved the emphasis on mental health and therapy, and recognizing abuse in all its forms and learning to walk away.

Not in LoveTitle: Not in Love
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Series: Not in Love #1
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 379
Length: 11h 55m
Narrator: Callie Dalton, Jason Clarke
Source: Library
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Sexual Content: 4 Flames

My Thoughts

I think NOT IN LOVE is my favorite Ali Hazelwood book. I loved the characters, especially Rue and Eli. I loved their story, chemistry, and banter. I loved the premise of the story.

Even though it’s a rom-com in the sense of enemies-to-lovers and a happily ever after, the story deals with a lot of hard issues. I thought the hard issues gave some meat to an otherwise fluffy, extremely spicy, story.

Love, TheoreticallyTitle: Love, Theoretically
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 389
Length: 12h 33m
Narrator: Thérèse Plummer
Source: Library
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Sexual Content: 3.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I seem to go through a reading slump for a couple of months each year. Only when I force myself to start reading an old favorite or something fluffy do I successfully banish my slump to “The Upside Down.” LOVE, THEORETICALLY is that book for me this year.

LOVE, THEORETICALLY was a fun, compelling story with fantastic characters. I really loved this enemies-to-lovers romance. There was so much chemistry between Elsie and Jack. It made for a super cute read with a fair amount of spice. I definitely didn’t want to put the book down.