February Wrap Up

Hi everyone! I had a pretty solid reading month in February. Unfortunately, I know I won't be able to read as much in the coming months due to my internship, but I'm glad I was able to get to read all of these before my workload gets insane! Here's what I read this month.

Books Read:

1) Burned: 3/5 stars

2) The Hating Game: 5/5 stars

3) The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky: 3.5/5 stars

4) Beneath the Sugar Sky: 4.5/5 stars

5) Landline: 3/5 stars

6) All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: 5/5 stars

7) The Wife Between Us: 2/5 stars

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Burned (3/5)

While I'm still in love with these characters and this world, Burned is a serious step down from Karen Marie Moning's previous books. Burned follows Mac as she struggles with a betrayal from Barrons, a search for an Unseelie prince, a missing Dani, a world that's falling apart, and a growing darkness inside her. If the summary sounds a little all over the place, that's because it is. If I had one word to describe this book, it would be messy. Not a lot happens in the book, yet it spans over 400 pages. The mystery aspect introduced in this book is interesting in itself, but it's never fully fleshed out or explored, instead cast aside for smaller, seemingly unimportant plot threads. Kat struggling with her emotions again? Don't care. Lor pretending to be Pri-ya? Funny, but didn't serve a purpose other than to create another romantic subplot. Barrons betrayal of Mac? Rewriting the history between them made little sense, fabricated drama between them that was unconvincing, and was blown out of proportion in the scope of the story only to be quickly swept under the rug. There's a lot of filler here taking up the space of more interesting plot developments. Particularly, the plot to save Christian was interesting as was the whole Jada mystery, and the scenes with these characters were action packed. Unfortunately, these plot threads were given little screen time and only highlighted the extremely slow pace of the rest of the book. In the grand scheme of things, it felt like events moved an inch forward from where they started, which isn't enough development for me. Moning's writing was not her strongest in this book. The biggest problems were the over- rehashing she did, which just weighed down the story, and the excessive introspection coming from Mac's perspective. I've never had a problem with how much Mac shares her thoughts, but this book took it too far. Reading Mac's POV was like wading through sludge because of how tedious her repetition and obvious observations were. I'm also not a huge fan of the number of POV's she's introduced. Some were interesting but underdeveloped, and some just weren't necessary. My poor beloved characters got butchered in this book. I will always adore Mac and Dani, but they did not get the treatment they deserved. Aside from Mac's overladen introspection, she also loses any agency she previously gained. She sits around the entire time and watches other people do things. At one point, her passivity manifests in her literal invisibility. In this state, she acts as a third party observer, much like an omniscient narrator, who reveals the actions of others around her but performs no actions herself. Her narration was so unnecessary, she literally could have been removed from the book and the events would have pretty much proceeded the same way. Perhaps this is understandable considering the things that have happened to her, but this was a pale imitation of the Mac I knew and loved. I was also so thrown off by how obsessed Mac was with sex. Don't get me wrong, I like the mature content of this series, but the number of times she thought about sex, stared at other peoples naked bodies, and lusted after people who were most certainly not Barrons, felt so out of character. As for Dani, her character was utterly destroyed for me. Instead of being able to watch her grow and develop, readers are given a new version of Dani that completely erases who she is. I missed the lively and funny girl. In robbing Dani's innocence off page, we too are robbed of essential character development. I hope the whole Dani/Jada story is better satisfied in the next books, because I would be so sad if we lost the true Dani forever. I have so many problems with this book. But did I hate it? No. I love Mac and Barrons, I miss Dani, the politics and fae creatures in this world are fascinating, it's still funny and sexy, and there's enough here to make me want to continue. I just hope this book was enough of a foundation for the next two to really get off their feet and go somewhere.

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The Hating Game (5/5)

This book brings me so much joy, on every single page. The humour is so weird, the characters are so quirky, and the romance makes my heart swell. I couldn't keep the grin off my face the whole time. I am so glad I reread this, and I can honestly see myself rereading it for many years to come. Probably my favourite romance book of all time - it makes me so, so happy. <3 <3 *Original Review Below* Oh. My. God. I absolutely LOVED this. I am completely obsessed right now. This book was completely addicting and I couldn't bear to put it down. I read it as soon as I woke up on the morning, on the bus to work, and into the late hours of the night. It was fantastic. The Hating Game is a hate to love romance between two co-workers at a publishing house. While Lucy and Joshua seemingly despise each other, the games they play to annoy each other turn an office rivalry into something much more. I loved Lucy's character. Her first person narration of the story was hilarious, and her inner thoughts were especially humorous because of how out of the box, yet realistic, they were. She's funny, quirky (but in a good way), and she's totally relatable. Josh is grumpy and a bit of an asshole, but beneath the surface he's super cuddly and caring. The witty banter between these two characters was almost too much to handle. Their interactions had me alternatively giggling to myself all throughout the story and then hiding my face between the pages when their dialogue turned R-rated. The mix of steamy and comical was perfectly balanced, but there were also a lot of deeper moments in the story that dealt with both Lucy and Josh's frustrations and insecurities. When they weren't annoying the hell out of each other or making googly eyes at each other, they were sharing sweet moments and expressing deep feelings. Thorne's writing made this story more than just a sexy romp; it has a lot of heart too and will make you feel things for the characters. The romance was a slow-burn, which is personally my favourite type of romance. Lucy and Josh's chemistry was off the charts and watching them explore their feelings for each other, slowly, built up incredible tension. Thorne masterfully entices the reader, almost giving in to the moment the reader most wants, and then she pulls back, leaving you in anticipation. I only wish that the "hate" part of the story could have lasted a little longer, as it really only lasted for maybe a quarter of the story. In the rest of the story the hate turns lukewarm and it's obvious that the characters really care for each other, but even this reluctant friends/lovers dynamic was highly enjoyable. I'm sure there are other minor flaws but they are so insignificant compared to how I feel about this book that they don't even compute in my brain. I hope one day this gets turned into a movie because it would just be amazing. I could gush about this book forever! It was honestly one of the best books I've read in a long time. I never wanted it to end. I'm not sure how to move on in my life right now, I am that stunned. If you like romance at all, you have to pick this one up. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

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The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky (3.5/5)

This was a really funny romance book that had a lot of body positivity, great friendships, and yummy cupcakes. It had so much potential to be more, but unfortunately it wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped it be. After two years of being physically unable to have sex with her boyfriend, Kat Carmichael, successful bakery owner, decides to take a break from her relationship to focus on physical therapy, which she does with the help of a good-looking customer named Ben. One of the best things about this book was the writing. I was recommended this book because of my love for The Hating Game, and I can see why - both are laugh out loud funny. The author doesn't hold back from the raunchy humour and Kat's narration seemed effortlessly witty. There were some good jokes and some really outrageous situations, but the funniest part of the book was Kat's inner dialogue and the way she observes the world. I was also a fan of the setting and the descriptions of all the cupcakes and frosting at the bakery. It wasn't overdone but made my mouth water all the same. That said, I really did not like Kat as a character. Her friends call her The Mouth, and it was this part of her character, the loudmouth, rude, selfish, and cocky side of her that really turned me off. She makes dumb decisions that don't make any sense. She tells her boyfriend to sleep with other people, then gets basically a complete stranger to do sexual therapy with her. She sets boundaries--like no kissing--because she wants to go back to her boyfriend after she gets her vagina working again, which essentially makes her new love interest a breathing sex toy. She completely steamrolls Ben, using him as a means to an end without considering his feelings in the slightest. Unfortunately, I didn't really like Ben either. I found him dull and a little pathetic, and the few times the author made him seem confident and swoonworthy just made him seem inconsistent as a character. He's constantly apologizing to Kat and telling her she's so intimidating. When the love interest shrivels in the presence of the main character, that's not a good sign. I really did not feel the chemistry between these two and didn't see why Ben was so into Kat. The best characters of the book were the group of friends at the bakery. They were so funny together and really supported each other, which I appreicated. I would even go as far as to say this is more of a friendship story than a love story. The plot had good pacing and kept me thoroughly interested the whole time. My issues mostly came from the central idea that Kat would enlist help from a stranger to do sexual therapy, breaking up with her boyfriend in the process, and that said stranger would be completely fine doing this for her with no strings attached. I mean, I know he had a thing for her but that's still totally weird. I really liked aspects of this book, particularly the friendships and hilarious humour, but the romance itself was lacking for me so I just couldn't love this as much as I wanted to. However, I would still recommend it if you're looking for a funny read because this was a solid, enjoyable read.

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Beneath the Sugar Sky (4.5/5)

I think this might be favourite of the series so far. I think I'm falling more and more in love with this series as the world expands and the characters develop. In this installment, the students of Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children travel to Confection, a world of candy and nonsense, to help Rini resurrect her mother, a teenage girl who died before Rini was even born. Like the others in the series, this book has absolutely gorgeous writing and amazing worldbuilding. The candy land McGuire has imagined is so beautiful and mouthwatering , and her writing style perfectly suits this fantastical world. We also learn more about the different worlds these characters have visited, which is always incredibly fascinating. I'm more satisfied with the plot and pacing of this book than the other two, which is why I think I liked this one more overall. The murder mystery in the first book felt rushed and the second book felt a bit meandering, while this one had a discernible plot arc because of the quest the characters go on. The beginning, middle, and end were clearly defined and the characters were always moving toward a solid goal. I also found the time and space traveling aspect of this one really interesting. I like how diverse this series continues to be in terms of race, sexuality, body type, and disability. A new character, Cora, is plus sized, and while I enjoyed this diversity of body type I just wish her weight hadn't been the central focus of her character. Her concern over her weight is repeated over and over again, and while the messages conveyed are all positive, it became overbearing. Being fat could have been more seamlessly integrated into her character so that other aspects of her personality could be showcased. McGuire has a tendency to be heavy-handed with her themes, which seems to fit with the fairytale-esque nature of her stories, but I do think it could be toned down a bit. I really loved this book and can't wait to get my hands on the next one!

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Landline (3/5)

Landline is my least favourite of Rainbow Rowell's books so far. Not to say that this book isn't good, but it just wasn't the best. Georgie McCool's relationship seems like its falling apart when her husband, Neal, and their kids go to Omaha for Christmas without her, but when she finds a telephone that connects her with a past version of Neal, she has the chance to make things right between them. I adored the premise of this book. It reminded me of The Time Traveler's Wife, and I just can't resist a good time travel plot line. Georgie's struggles with her marriage were realistic and her fears and doubts were interesting to observe. It was almost a dual narrative because of the emphasis on Georgie's past relationship with Neal in contrast to the present, and I really liked seeing how the pair got from point A to point B. As always, Rowell knows how to write. She has so much truth to write and her characters were unique and fleshed out in a way I've only seen her imagine them. That all said, I really did not like the characters in this book. In her other books, I've always believed in the romance, despite how unrealistic they seem. In this one, the relationship was realistic but I could not get on board with the romance. Georgie was mostly fine as a character, but I did not get the appeal of Neal at all. He was grumpy and standoffish and weird, and not in a good way. He was a total jerk when Georgie tried to take him to work parties/events, which really annoyed me. Just because it wasn't his scene, he had to put up a big fuss, when instead he should have been at least trying to support her and putting on a brave face. He just really rubbed me the wrong way, and a lot of his interactions with Georgie felt condescending. I liked past Neal a little better, but overall I just didn't like him. It was hard to root for a romance where I didn't like one of the characters, but I also just didn't find the chemistry all that convincing either. I liked this book because there's something about Rowell's writing that I really enjoy. It was often sweet and charming, but it didn't pull at my heartstrings or make me love the characters the way I would have hoped.

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All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (5/5)

Wow. This book was stunning. It made me think, it made me feel, it had gorgeous storytelling, and it dealt with a taboo subject in such a raw and emotional way. The blurb says it best: A beautiful and provocative love story between two unlikely people and the hard-won relationship that elevates them above the Midwestern meth-lab backdrop of their lives, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about the human heart. Fair warning to those who don't know: This book is about the relationship between a child and an adult. Wavy is eight years old when she meets Kellen, a man in his twenties, and they form a friendship that turns sexual when she is thirteen. This is obviously controversial and has many readers in an uproar. I think it's very narrow-minded to believe that liking this book endorses pedophilia. There is such a thing as a division between art and life. Furthermore, this book explores the boundaries of right and wrong in a way that allows the reader to read, digest, and form their own opinions. In no way do I believe it is trying to say that the decisions characters make are inexplicably moral, rather, it presents the details as simply as possible without passing judgement. Reading the author's note at the end of the book was extremely enlightening, and I encourage people to read it to try to gain another level of perspective. I simply adored this book. Greenwood's writing was fantastic. It's not flowery or pretty in an obvious way, but beautiful, perhaps in it's simplicity and power to create a scene so vividly. On a larger storytelling level, the narration was wonderfully told. We get perspectives from multiple characters, and although there were a lot of POVs, they all fit together so well and offered an array of perspectives on this taboo relationship. The story spans many years, but I never got lost or felt that it was moving too quickly or slowly. The lives of these characters are told so simply and elegantly, without embellishment or a heavy hand. The meth-lab backdrop surprisingly played a minor role in the plot, which allowed the focus to remain on character development while still enriching and informing the characters' backgrounds. I couldn't take my eyes off the page. Watching Wavy and her brother, Donal, grow up in such an abusive household was terrible, but fascinating. Her parents are physically and emotionally abusive, and the defense mechanisms Wavy develops to defend herself are heartbreaking. She is such a strong character with memorable and defining quirks that make her different than any other character I have read. Her circumstances make her grow up so fast, and the relationship she forms with Kellen is a result of that. Kellen is a good, but clearly flawed character. He knows what he is doing with Wavy is wrong, but despite his intentions, he becomes more entangled with Wavy than he ever wanted to be. Good people make bad decisions, and he is an example of that. He's big and scary, but warm and loving, and his love for Wavy was persistent. He didn't lust after her-he truly loved her for her, no matter her age. They are two characters who needed each other and opened up for each other in a way they couldn't for anyone else. Despite the icky factor of their age, I truly felt the connection between these characters, and I ultimately felt more pity than disgust for their actions. This was a story that truly moved me. It offered a perspective that, while unsavory, makes you think. It makes you look closely at your own morals and makes you question the boundaries of society. It draws you into a romance you can't logically support, but that you emotionally root for nonetheless. It's a beautifully dark story and, for better or for worse, it makes you feel.

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The Wife Between Us (2/5)

I should have liked this. It has so many positive reviews and it is full of twists that should have wowed me, but I had to drag myself through this one for some reason. Two women: the first, a newly engaged woman who can't shake the feeling that someone is watching her, and the other, an ex-wife who will do anything in her power to stop her husband from remarrying. I think my biggest problem with this book is the way it was written. I was really bored for a majority of this book as the authors set the stage for the action that follows. The whole first third of the book is a drawn out explanation of the lives of two women, Vanessa and Nellie, neither of which I found very interesting. I really believe these chapters should have been cut in half, because while they do set up important information, they don't do so in a very concise way. Vanessa is a heavy drinker, a sales associate, a sad and bitter middle-aged woman living with her aunt. Nellie is a young school teacher. I didn't care about either of them, so it became hard to get invested in their stories. The second issue in this book lies with pacing. This is a very twisty thriller, I will give it that, but I found the twists poorly timed. The first reveal appears right at the third mark, after a slow and unimpressive beginning. The rest of the book throws in twists left and right, and then there's a final reveal tacked on at the end. There's also a subplot that muddles up the story, and that I didn't really see the point of. I should have loved how surprising this book was, but combined with the poor pacing was the poor conception of the twists themselves. I had a hunch about the first major reveal, but I was still slightly surprised when it came anyway. The problem with it for me wasn't so much that the surprise was ruined, but that it didn't really make sense in the larger scheme of the story. The author's were merely trying to shock readers, and the reveal had nothing to do with the actual narrative of the story. And the same can be said for the twists that followed after. Some of them were extremely predictable, others not so much, but they were all thrown in like spaghetti on a wall just to fulfill the thrills component. To me, they lacked focus and cohesion. I had to force my way through this book. I didn't like the twists, the writing, or the characters, finding them all, ultimately, bland. I know a lot of other people will enjoy it, but it just wasn't the thriller for me.