Tag Archives: book-review

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in Authors, Book Reviews, Bookmarks, Books Read in 2024, Cara Bastone, romance

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Book Edition from BOTM – https://www.bookofthemonth.com/all-hardcovers/ready-or-not-2062

“If we wait until we re ready, we will be waiting for the rest of our lives.”, Cara Bastone. This sentence hit me hard. I know for a fact we postpone a lot of things in life for fear of not being ready. It applies to any kind of relationship. Also in most cases, it gets difficult for us to even assess or narrate what that means, but we go with the gut feel which is fueled by fear.

So i started the story with that intrigue. I was aware of the sudden pregnancy trope and also potential neglect and slight depression. But overall this was a very positive read for me. It was definitely slow burn. I like more action and things going fast. Always love banter and enemy to lover tropes. This didn’t have any or should say, it was more of a close friend to lover storyline.

Bookmark image from Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/154462768-ready-or-not

List of characters that i remember (did cheat by reviewing the book ;-))

Eve Hatch – main protagonist, the heart of the story. She grows from being someone who has difficulty committing to something to someone who can lead things.

Derek – Eve’s ex 2 boy friends – ideally not significant … but i liked to point this out

Willa – Eve’s friend. I loved the way, how her character was established. She is like a rock 80% of the time, which is pretty rare. Kudos to the author for penning such great characters.

Shep – Willa’s brother – the other main character … love of Eve’s life once she realizes what is happening around her.

Nurse Louise – the nurse who supported Eve. I feel everyone has someone not related to always look upto … they always exist and get exposed to us at the critical juncture when we need the most. This makes me feel like there is a higher power who works in mysterious ways.

Corianne – Willa’s mom … also someone who is briefly involved with Dustin, Eve’s older brother

Isamu – Willa’s husband – nice supporting character … rock also needs support to exist … and Isamu seems to be that.

Ethan rise – baby daddy … shaky character at best, but difficult to also associate much negativity. He tries to do things best he could. It would have been a shock was him too. Even though he is not physically going through the pain.

Eleni – ethen’s girlfriend … a character whom we never meet but seems to be someone of interest.

heather – shep’s ex girlfriend. Liked this character too since knowingly she supported Shep. Such people don’t exist at all 😦

Malcolm and dalton – eve’s twin brothers … Great support for Eve

Dustin – eve’s oldest brother – Father figure

Some added minor characters like Jenny (Dal’s wife), Rosie (Dal’s daughter) and Izzy (Dustin’s daughter)

Overall this was a great read for me. It was definitely slow at times, but it gave the opportunity for Eve’s character to grow. Loved the chemistry among all the characters. This was more real, no one was an actual villain. They all played their part to bring Eve’s baby to this world.

My rating is 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sky in the deep by Adrienne Young

15 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Adrienne Young, Authors, Books Read in 2024, Fantasy

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I have been on a Young Adult kick this year and been consuming a lot of books by popular Authors. One among them is ‘Sky in the deep’. I have never read any viking story nor from Adrienne Young and thus was curious to get into the book. I was really not sure if I would like it or not, but was rather surprised.

The story is about how different clans have always been lead to believe that they need to maintain animosity without any consideration of the fact that blood is red in color irrespective of who bleeds.

Aska and Riki clans have been against each other since long. Their root of vengeance is more mythical in nature than actual cause. They have been fighting under the assumption that since their respective gods were at war and against each other, being their follower they should do their bidding. But they have missed to realize that they were not actually being asked to fight, but its more an assumption. That said, in battle there is always loss, once you loose your loved one, we want revenge and thus even though the fights started with no human reason, it continued under the pretext of love and loss.

Evelyn is the main protagonist of the story. She is a strong willed 17 year old who has been mourning the loss of her brother or so she assumed. During one of the yearly battles between the clans, she witnesses her dead brother fighting with their rival Riki clan and chooses to follow him and unravel the mystery. Little did she know that her life is about to turn 180 degree with a slight miss turn on her part.

She gets captured by Riki, but in due process understands that there does not need to be any bad blood between the two clans and that they need to learn to live in peace for the greater good. She also falls in love with Fiske, who saves her brother in the battle he was said to have died in.

The book is short in comparison to some of the other Young Adult ones but is to the point. The focus is on Evelyn and how she understands life and how she grooms herself to rise and be a leader. Liked the family dynamics between father, daughter and son. Irrespective of the clan, blood is blood and people will go to any lengths to support their own.

My rating is yet again 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Love of my Life by Rosie Walsh

15 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Books Read in 2024, Psychological Thriller, Rosie Walsh

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This is not a typical thriller i was hoping and also my first Rosie Walsh book. The protagonist’s Emma and Leo are portrayed to have a healthy long relationship amidst the health issues that Emma has been through. The family dynamics and the ‘assumed’ trust was established well.

As the story progressed, clarity was brought into the mystery surrounding Emma. Emma and Leo’s ‘assumed’ trust and transparency was questioned.

Emma is a marine biologist and Leo is an obituary writer.

Leo being an adopted child, irrespective of being in a lovely family had issues handling the truth about this birth. Emma even though has had mental issues (revealed later) in the past was trying to handle the situation as best as she could. One common denominator that seemed to have kept the story going was the underlying love Emma and Leo shared. Their relationship was put through the test of times, but they seem to come of it in flying colors.

The idea of transparency between a couple is expected, but not always feasible. Most of the time in a relationship, we tend to hope or want to see the other person as the extended self. In some situations we may be lucky to have that but in some cases, situations don’t allow such intimate sharing. Maintaining secrets don’t mean, we are betraying the other person or loving them any less. Maybe we are just trying to avoid conflict and extend the pleasantness in the household.

No two individual with different pasts could perceive the situation the same way. Is that not why we normally say opposites attract?

Other supporting characters all came in very good.

Overall this was a good read, but found it slow in some places … definitely the mystery and how it untangled itself made sense. Loved how the story ended.

Would rate this 5/5. Love always wins at the end.