So, it is time for my August wrap-up for the vibe Worth the Hype. I have decided to try to change my reading habits a little bit. I HATE writing in books. I have tried annotating so many times, but my heart just can’t. So, I am going to try to use sticky notes or dictate my thoughts on my phone when reading a book physically. I use a library app that is connected to Kindle, so I can highlight and make notes through Kindle as I go on the books I read digitally. The hard part here is going to be remembering this is something I need to be doing.
Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
Read: July 27th, 2024 to August 1st, 2024
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Worth the hype: No
Review: So, I am still not sure if I am a fan of Penelope Douglas. This is the second of her works I have read, and it was okay. I was entertained, I had feelings about the characters, and the plot was interesting. But when I was done, I just felt meh about the whole experience. I ended up talking to a coworker about it when I was done, which made the experience of the book more intense just because of his reactions to what I was telling him happened. (Thanks, Josh, for listening to all of my crazy, bookish rants!) This book was pretty much the biggest case of if you assume you make an ass out of you and me. Because the whole conflict between Erika and Michael was based on an assumption he made about her. Could it have been fixed by a simple conversation? Absolutely. Did he ask her about it? Nope, he spent three years planning how to get revenge. Three years! All that time, these guys sat there hating this girl that they truly felt a kinship with, thinking she had betrayed them over hurt feelings. Childish. Now, the chemistry between Rika and Michael was well done. I truly enjoyed how they bit and snapped at each other. They challenged each other, pushing and pushing until they could go no further. Delightful. The tension was dense enough to be cut with a knife. Delicious. If nothing else, Penny Douglas can write smut really well. Interactions between people? Meh. Small-town antics? Ha, has she ever been to a small town? Because these boys would have been in prison way before the leaked footage. Well, I guess that’s why it’s fiction. All in all, this was a decent read, and I enjoyed it. Do I think it is worth all the hype TikTok gives Penelope’s books? No, no, I do not. This is not a book I would go out of my way to recommend to people. If they asked me my thoughts, I’d say it was okay. Middle of the road, mostly. Not the best book ever, but also not the worst thing I’ve ever read either. All in all, I may give the rest of the series a try, but I am not in any hurry to do so.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Read: August 2nd, 2024 to August 21st, 2024
Rating: 5 Stars
Worth the Hype: Absolutely!
Random thoughts:
- I love how this started.
- There is just something about the writing…
- Yup, this is gonna be funny.
- Ahhhhhhhh! She is reading The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert! I love it!
Review: This was hilarious. I had the best time reading it. The characters were a lot of fun, the love story didn’t happen over night which was refreshing. It took YEARS for them to fall in love, or at the very least, admit they were in love. I loved how they supported each other in both aspects of their lives, not just as serial killers. The Kane family is addictive, and the way they interact with each other is so wholesome and authentic that it tugged at all my feels. Siblings that do and die for each other are the best. (Shout out to Sky and Rini, I love you guys to death.) I laughed so hard at quite a few scenes in this book and may have scarred a few of my coworkers (Josh and Jae, I am so sorry, and I hope you know I adore you both. “THAT AUTHUR IS DEMENTED AND DESERVES JAIL TIME!!!” -Josh) I may never look at ice cream the same way again. I will absolutely be reading the rest of this series just as soon as book three comes out so I can binge them!
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
Read: August 6th, 2024 to August 7th, 2024
Rating: 5 Stars
Worth the Hype: Without a doubt!
Review: I. Loved. This. Book! It was so good. I read it in two sittings, and it would have been one if I didn’t need to sleep. I know sleep is for the weak, but I’m a mom, so I have to sleep sometime. Icebreaker is probably one of the healthiest books I have ever read. You have platonic m/f relationships, incredible best friend support, the naked body isn’t viewed as taboo, and there is respect for personal boundaries. Oh, and did I mention that there is positive representation for the mental health profession? Sold. Now throw in some fun tropes like grumpy/sunshine (her/him), sports romance, college romance, he falls first, and you have what dream books are made of. I can’t wait to see what else Hannah Grace comes up with.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Read: August 21st, 2024 to August 22nd, 2024
Rating: 5 Stars
Worth the Hype: No
Review: I read this in one sitting. Don’t judge me, my little one was spending time with her Daddy and I had zero responsibilities until she got out of school. So I started it at about 8 pm and finished it the next morning at a quarter to 8, and it was lovely. I liked the unique take on a paranormal romance, the play on vampires and werewolves but I found the mystery aspect of the story dry and a bit convoluted. I connected a lot with Misery, which is probably not the healthiest thing since her life sucked. The thing she was most used to was being a letdown. Ouch, but do I relate. Where I want to be like Misery is that she finds the strength to grow and defend herself. She learns to love herself! #goals The love story was really sweet, and her confusion over his reaction to her smell was something that made me chuckle quite a bit. She went a good portion of the story thinking she smelled bad. Poor thing. Some of the werewolf “needs” were a bit odd, but at least her vampires didn’t glitter. Trigger warning: I am not a fan of knotting in my werewolf stories. It’s too uncomfortable for me, inspired by the canine anatomy a little too much. But otherwise, a solid read that I hope has a sequel in the future.
Flock by Kate Stewart
Read: DNF
Rating: N/A
Worth the Hype: N/A
Review: I just couldn’t get into this one, the writing was just not my style as such I can’t say if it is worth the hype or not. It’s not fair to rate something I didn’t read in full.
Okay, guys, these are my thoughts and my thoughts alone (and a tad bit of Josh), and that doesn’t mean you have to agree with me. I just wanted to see if I matched up with those people raving on the internet. If you have read any of these, let me know what you thought! How did you feel about the ice cream in Butcher & Blackbird? I can’t wait to hear from you.
Until the next page,
Dani