Scan barcode
readers_sea's reviews
402 reviews
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was actually so fun and tense!
I didn't know what to expect since I had no clue what this book was even about... oops. But no regrets about going in blind!
This one took me on a ride! I had no clue what even was going on. I thought for a bit I had it all figured out but in the end, I knew nothing. The high stakes, the tension, and the overall eerieness were so well done. I loved the resolution and how everything turned out. I didn't feel like it was an info dump to say what happened, but we got to go through it and watch it unfold.
I didn't know what to expect since I had no clue what this book was even about... oops. But no regrets about going in blind!
This one took me on a ride! I had no clue what even was going on. I thought for a bit I had it all figured out but in the end, I knew nothing. The high stakes, the tension, and the overall eerieness were so well done. I loved the resolution and how everything turned out. I didn't feel like it was an info dump to say what happened, but we got to go through it and watch it unfold.
This Crazy Love by J.H. Croix
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pretty quick read that was relatively easy to get through.
Jackson and Shay shared one kiss years ago, but since then nothing. They both moved on with their lives and pursued different things. Now Shay is back after an abusive relationship and she is trying to start over. One problem - Jackson is her roommate.
Both of these characters had a lot of trauma to work through and I do wish that was worked through a bit better?? If those situations were more vocalized and worked through, I think I could have rooted for this couple more. I feel like things almost moved too fast for them but for no reason. I couldn't see the burning passion, besides the time that they said it.
I wanted to love the book, but I wasn't completely sold on the romance. I did enjoy parts of the story, the setting, and the side characters as well. I just wanted more time for the characters to show why they wanted each other rather than just saying they did. I feel the setup was there, but some of the execution was lacking.
Jackson and Shay shared one kiss years ago, but since then nothing. They both moved on with their lives and pursued different things. Now Shay is back after an abusive relationship and she is trying to start over. One problem - Jackson is her roommate.
Both of these characters had a lot of trauma to work through and I do wish that was worked through a bit better?? If those situations were more vocalized and worked through, I think I could have rooted for this couple more. I feel like things almost moved too fast for them but for no reason. I couldn't see the burning passion, besides the time that they said it.
I wanted to love the book, but I wasn't completely sold on the romance. I did enjoy parts of the story, the setting, and the side characters as well. I just wanted more time for the characters to show why they wanted each other rather than just saying they did. I feel the setup was there, but some of the execution was lacking.
False Start by Kandi Steiner
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kyle and Madelyn were such an easy 5 stars!!
I love a good second chance romance, plus single parent and sports?! I knew that I was going to love this based on that alone.
This book was such an emotional rollercoaster. From the second Kyle unexpectedly runs into Madelyn I was intrigued to know their past. You could instantly see there was still a connection, but also a lot of hurt that came with it. All we knew at this point was that Kyle is a football player in his rookie season and Madelyn is a real estate agent trying to save enough money for her and her son to move away from her ex-husband. Madelyn takes this house showing without knowing who inquired about it because it would be a great commission, so her surprise in seeing Kyle - the guy who she loved many many years ago came as a shock.
Kyle always came off as the kind of guy who didn't care about much. He cared about football and he cared about the family he found within that sport. Outside of that, not much. He was always viewed as a playboy who was young and having fun, but this book gave us so much more depth to his character. We got to look into his past - and it was not always pretty. I loved exploring both Kyle and Madelyn. Their story was one for the ages. I was rooting for their happiness the whole way through it.
They agree to fake date. For Kyle to have a wedding date & help his image and for Madelyn to have protection from her ex-husband. It doesn't take a lot of time for feelings to show again and I loved every minute of it. Watching Kyle interact with Sebastian - Madelyn's son - was honestly so sweet! Kyle had a lot more going for him than everyone originally thought, and I loved unpacking different sides of him.
Overall, amazing and I loved it. Kyle is my new favorite Kandi Steiner man.
I love a good second chance romance, plus single parent and sports?! I knew that I was going to love this based on that alone.
This book was such an emotional rollercoaster. From the second Kyle unexpectedly runs into Madelyn I was intrigued to know their past. You could instantly see there was still a connection, but also a lot of hurt that came with it. All we knew at this point was that Kyle is a football player in his rookie season and Madelyn is a real estate agent trying to save enough money for her and her son to move away from her ex-husband. Madelyn takes this house showing without knowing who inquired about it because it would be a great commission, so her surprise in seeing Kyle - the guy who she loved many many years ago came as a shock.
Kyle always came off as the kind of guy who didn't care about much. He cared about football and he cared about the family he found within that sport. Outside of that, not much. He was always viewed as a playboy who was young and having fun, but this book gave us so much more depth to his character. We got to look into his past - and it was not always pretty. I loved exploring both Kyle and Madelyn. Their story was one for the ages. I was rooting for their happiness the whole way through it.
They agree to fake date. For Kyle to have a wedding date & help his image and for Madelyn to have protection from her ex-husband. It doesn't take a lot of time for feelings to show again and I loved every minute of it. Watching Kyle interact with Sebastian - Madelyn's son - was honestly so sweet! Kyle had a lot more going for him than everyone originally thought, and I loved unpacking different sides of him.
Overall, amazing and I loved it. Kyle is my new favorite Kandi Steiner man.
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This took me on a wild ride of "idk what to believe"
It did take me a little to get into the story, but once I was in it, it was easy to binge. Since it was told sort of in a dual timeline, I did get lost along the way sometimes, but it could have been because I was only listening to the audiobook.
I enjoyed the overall mystery of trying to figure out what truly happened and what was real or made up. I liked the drama between the characters in trying to figure out what went down all those years ago and seeing how things we thought were facts at one point, suddenly weren't fitting the story as we thought it did.
It did take me a little to get into the story, but once I was in it, it was easy to binge. Since it was told sort of in a dual timeline, I did get lost along the way sometimes, but it could have been because I was only listening to the audiobook.
I enjoyed the overall mystery of trying to figure out what truly happened and what was real or made up. I liked the drama between the characters in trying to figure out what went down all those years ago and seeing how things we thought were facts at one point, suddenly weren't fitting the story as we thought it did.
Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was a lot going on in this book and had darker themes than I expected.
I'm entirely sure if I am just outgrowing YA, but I still enjoyed this one!
Ellie has chronic medical issues and to compartmentalize, she fully keeps her life separated - in the hospital and out of the hospital. Her mother copes but running a blog and posting everything about it online. While Ellie is at the hospital, those are the friends she associates with but she never mixes that with her friends at school.
At some point, Ellie is having trouble as her two lives are trying to mix and she doesn't know how to cope with that. She has always had clear boundaries for herself, but as her relationships get deeper and people seem to have more expectations for her - she doesn't know how to combine the two worlds she has made for herself.
I did enjoy the commentary throughout this book. I do think it is a powerful and important read - I just don't know that I am in the target audience anymore. I did feel like things could have been a lot more simple, but I think reading it at a younger age I would've found Ellie more relatable and her reasonings very valid. Personally not for me, but still think this would be a great read for many people.
I'm entirely sure if I am just outgrowing YA, but I still enjoyed this one!
Ellie has chronic medical issues and to compartmentalize, she fully keeps her life separated - in the hospital and out of the hospital. Her mother copes but running a blog and posting everything about it online. While Ellie is at the hospital, those are the friends she associates with but she never mixes that with her friends at school.
At some point, Ellie is having trouble as her two lives are trying to mix and she doesn't know how to cope with that. She has always had clear boundaries for herself, but as her relationships get deeper and people seem to have more expectations for her - she doesn't know how to combine the two worlds she has made for herself.
I did enjoy the commentary throughout this book. I do think it is a powerful and important read - I just don't know that I am in the target audience anymore. I did feel like things could have been a lot more simple, but I think reading it at a younger age I would've found Ellie more relatable and her reasonings very valid. Personally not for me, but still think this would be a great read for many people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma
If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one was definitely entertaining!!
I liked how fast-paced it was and the overall mystery. I liked the concept of "codes" and needing to find the right person/code. I also enjoyed the different POVs and how everything overlapped & came back around full circle to get solved.
I figured some things out slowly before they were revealed but not everything. It was still an easy audiobook to follow along with. I loved how one thing always opened a new rabbit hole to enter but you never knew if it was the right thing to focus on. Overall, well written and a great story with characters you actually wanted to root for.
I liked how fast-paced it was and the overall mystery. I liked the concept of "codes" and needing to find the right person/code. I also enjoyed the different POVs and how everything overlapped & came back around full circle to get solved.
I figured some things out slowly before they were revealed but not everything. It was still an easy audiobook to follow along with. I loved how one thing always opened a new rabbit hole to enter but you never knew if it was the right thing to focus on. Overall, well written and a great story with characters you actually wanted to root for.
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
No because why was this book so good?
I was literally addicted from the start! The podcast element and the premise as a whole were so engaging. I felt like the pacing was done perfectly and there was never a dull moment. I was constantly on my toes trying to guess what the ending would be, but I never could.
Sometimes the ending of thrillers can lack a bit, but I feel like this one was so well done! It all made sense but also wasn't too predictable. I loved the overall storytelling and how everything played out. Nothing was dragging on for too long, but nothing was revealed too early. SO SO GOOD!
I was literally addicted from the start! The podcast element and the premise as a whole were so engaging. I felt like the pacing was done perfectly and there was never a dull moment. I was constantly on my toes trying to guess what the ending would be, but I never could.
Sometimes the ending of thrillers can lack a bit, but I feel like this one was so well done! It all made sense but also wasn't too predictable. I loved the overall storytelling and how everything played out. Nothing was dragging on for too long, but nothing was revealed too early. SO SO GOOD!
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Pleasantly surprised by this one!
I picked this one up randomly since I had it on my kindle and was looking for a short thriller to read, but I honestly had no clue what this book even was about. So I didn't know what I was getting myself into with this one.
This book follows a mother and her two children as she realizes there is an intruder in her house. It is just her and the children's home, so she needs to think quickly about how to keep them all alive, get them out safely, and stay undetected by this intruder. She is trying to think quickly, but her children are younger, so it isn't easy to keep them quiet without scaring them about the situation.
This entire book is so tense!! I didn't expect it to be especially while reading the ebook version, but I swear I was so invested and sweating for this mother and children. At some points, even I didn't know what to believe as the story went on. There were times when I was so frustrated, but shocked and had no clue what was going to come next.
I definitely feel like this book did what it needed to do and it did have a satisfying ending. Overall, worth the read imo.
I picked this one up randomly since I had it on my kindle and was looking for a short thriller to read, but I honestly had no clue what this book even was about. So I didn't know what I was getting myself into with this one.
This book follows a mother and her two children as she realizes there is an intruder in her house. It is just her and the children's home, so she needs to think quickly about how to keep them all alive, get them out safely, and stay undetected by this intruder. She is trying to think quickly, but her children are younger, so it isn't easy to keep them quiet without scaring them about the situation.
This entire book is so tense!! I didn't expect it to be especially while reading the ebook version, but I swear I was so invested and sweating for this mother and children. At some points, even I didn't know what to believe as the story went on. There were times when I was so frustrated, but shocked and had no clue what was going to come next.
I definitely feel like this book did what it needed to do and it did have a satisfying ending. Overall, worth the read imo.
4th Degree by Nikki Castle
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Skylar & Coach Dominic? Uhh, yes please!!
Age gap, sports, and forbidden romance between coach + student.
I really enjoyed the maturity of both characters, even with their age gap. This one was a bit more of a slow burn since it is "forbidden" and both of the characters were trying to "do the right thing". Nonetheless, I enjoyed getting to know both characters.
Skylar hasn't had an easy life and is a caretaker to her mother while also working and going to school full-time. With her full schedule, she never had enough time to do anything for herself, but she has always had an interest in MMA so when she gets a bit more time and money to spend, she decides to take some classes at Coach Dominic's gym.
Coach Dominic is a very sought-after coach with a great reputation for his MMA career and the gym that he opened up. He has always put his career and gym first and everyone knows it. This is why when Skylar walks in and immediately catches his attention - it throws him for a loop.
Even with this being a slow burn of a romance, I feel like the pacing was still great because there was still a lot going on for the characters aside from just the romance. It was easy to root for both of these characters together because you could see how good they were together and their connection was so good. They were genuinely amazing together and for each other.
Age gap, sports, and forbidden romance between coach + student.
I really enjoyed the maturity of both characters, even with their age gap. This one was a bit more of a slow burn since it is "forbidden" and both of the characters were trying to "do the right thing". Nonetheless, I enjoyed getting to know both characters.
Skylar hasn't had an easy life and is a caretaker to her mother while also working and going to school full-time. With her full schedule, she never had enough time to do anything for herself, but she has always had an interest in MMA so when she gets a bit more time and money to spend, she decides to take some classes at Coach Dominic's gym.
Coach Dominic is a very sought-after coach with a great reputation for his MMA career and the gym that he opened up. He has always put his career and gym first and everyone knows it. This is why when Skylar walks in and immediately catches his attention - it throws him for a loop.
Even with this being a slow burn of a romance, I feel like the pacing was still great because there was still a lot going on for the characters aside from just the romance. It was easy to root for both of these characters together because you could see how good they were together and their connection was so good. They were genuinely amazing together and for each other.
Off the Beaten Path by Madison Wright
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Holden and Wren were already so much fun... Add in a little June? Perfect.
I loveee small-town, single-parent, and grump x sunshine, so this book was perfect for me. Holden comes off as a very grumpy single dad to his neighbor Wren, but looking at the bigger picture he had a lot more going on than people assumed. Wren was also a lot deeper than she originally seemed. Holden thought she was such his attractive hot mess of a neighbor who was young and liked to do whatever, but she was more than that!
I loved watching all the relationships develop between Holden and Wren, as well as Wren and June. June was the sweetest little girl who deserved everything! She is so mature and has already gone through a lot at such a young age, but she is so resilient. I loved watching Holden and his family as well! Nothing beats a small-town family dynamic.
A huge plus was also no third-act break up!! There was a conflict (which I still didn't LOVE), but there was no huge, dramatic break-up. It was so fitting for our characters to not have that expected third-act break up because of how much their relationship grew, so I'm happy we didn't have one.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to visit this small-town again in the future!
I loveee small-town, single-parent, and grump x sunshine, so this book was perfect for me. Holden comes off as a very grumpy single dad to his neighbor Wren, but looking at the bigger picture he had a lot more going on than people assumed. Wren was also a lot deeper than she originally seemed. Holden thought she was such his attractive hot mess of a neighbor who was young and liked to do whatever, but she was more than that!
I loved watching all the relationships develop between Holden and Wren, as well as Wren and June. June was the sweetest little girl who deserved everything! She is so mature and has already gone through a lot at such a young age, but she is so resilient. I loved watching Holden and his family as well! Nothing beats a small-town family dynamic.
A huge plus was also no third-act break up!! There was a conflict (which I still didn't LOVE), but there was no huge, dramatic break-up. It was so fitting for our characters to not have that expected third-act break up because of how much their relationship grew, so I'm happy we didn't have one.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to visit this small-town again in the future!