Romance

Book Review: The Naturals

Author
Barnes, Jennifer Lynn
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is about a teenage girl who gets enlisted in an FBI program, The Natural Program where she and other “Naturals” work to solve cold cases. I really liked the premise of this book. The teenagers are basically prodigies on reading people or reading crime scenes in a way adult agents can’t do . The protagonist, Cassie Hobbes, for example is really good at reading people and how they might react to situations. Others members are good at telling lies, knowing statistics or math, and reading emotions. I really enjoyed the found family trope with Cassie and the other Naturals and am hoping to see more of that as the series moves forwards. This first book while really good, kind of just felt like a beginning couple episodes to a tv show. We’re still learning about the characters, the program, and the main plot of the story as a whole. I will say it did encourage me to continue with the series and figure out how the Naturals react with other challenges and problems that come with being apart of the FBI.

Reviewer's Name
Cara

Book Review: The Love Hypothesis

Author
Hazelwood, Ali
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

Let’s be real for a second: if you want a snarky and admirably catchy writing style and you’re not adamantly opposed to romance novels, you arguably have to read at least one of Ali Hazelwood’s books. For this reason, I’d highly recommend The Love Hypothesis. This charming, witty, romantic comedy follows Olive Smith as she navigates the treacherous path of a Stanford biology graduate program and complex relationships within her department. It is a classic enemies-to-lovers and grumpy meets sunshine trope, as Olive and Adam pretend to be a couple to appease her roommate and his family. The relationship between Olive and Adam is unbelievably wholesome and will fill your heart with warmth and happiness. Additionally, all of the characters in the story are simple yet relatable, so you won’t find yourself drowning in unnecessary information. While the plot is easy to predict, the snarky and witty writing style of Hazelwood transforms this romantic comedy into a master piece. That being said, the plot is still immaculate, with a perfect ending that will rip your heart in two. Chefs kiss.

Reviewer's Name
Lucia

Book Review: Better than the Movies

Author
Painter, Lynn
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

Better than the Movies is a young adult rom-com about Liz Buxbaum. The story centers around Liz’s senior year and her crush that just moved into town. It’s also centered around her neighbor, who tries to help Liz get her crush to ask her to prom. I think the author did a good job at talking about Liz and her emotions. Most of the story is Liz being a rom com lover like her mom who passed away. She tries to make her life like the romcoms she and her mother enjoyed together. The romance in this book was cute, but I also enjoyed how Lynn Painter kept it solely around Liz and her emotions about her mom and senior year. The coming of age part was very realistic while also playing out kind of like a rom com that Liz loves so much. So I thought that was a clever twist.

Reviewer's Name
Cara

Book Review: Love on the Brain

Author
Hazelwood, Ali
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

Love on the Brain is stacked full of misunderstandings. When Bee Königswasser gets her dream job at NASA, she is ecstatic, except when she realizes her archnemesis, Levi, is her co-worker. So, who does she blame when her equipment stops working? Or when the staff ignores her? Levi. Through all of Bee’s misadventures, the reader is pulled along seamlessly and introduced into the narrative with an enviable writing style.

So here’s an equation: Romance plus STEM equals?

Reviewer's Name
Lucia

Book Review: It Ends With Us

Author
Hoover, Colleen
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

"It Ends With Us" by Colleen Hoover is a real and effective novel that explores the story of Lily Blossom and Ryle Kincaid. This book very evidently gives off the message, that it is okay to not be normal. To be scared to make tough choices. I think of this book as Hoover's courageous attempt in relation to her personal life to share awareness about abuse and harassment. I believe reading this novel will help change many lives that have been held under similar circumstances. This narrative will help teach people that sometimes, moving on or letting go is the best decision you can make for yourself. I felt proud when Lily was able to make extremely hard life-changing decisions to prioritize herself and her happiness. She is a character to admire and love. Hoover has derived so many layers to each character which adds depth to the story as a whole. Colleen Hoover’s subject is heartbreaking, but in our lives, it’s become such an ordinary deal that we naturally begin to avert our eyes easily from such content.
Love has no boundaries, but your health does. Real love should not end in excruciating pain. Taking your chances will only result in you getting used to the affliction.

Reviewer's Name
Caroline

Book Review: All Your Perfects

Author
Hoover, Colleen
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

"All Your Perfects" by Colleen Hoover is a deep, emotional novel that delves into the complexities of marriage and the impact it has on the physical and emotional well-being of its characters. The story primarily revolves around Quinn and Graham, a couple who were once so deeply in love but find their relationship strained by the challenges of infertility, putting their marriage to the test. Colleen Hoover's narrative represents a tale of love, loss, and resilience, exploring the ups and downs of this couple's journey.
I give "All Your Perfects" a solid 4-star rating because the book shines in its depiction of the many struggles people face in maintaining a healthy, thriving marriage. I love how it addresses the issue of infertility, shedding light on how it can strain even the most loving relationships. This novel also doesn't shy away from the emotional toll this takes on the characters, which makes it a relatable and thought-provoking read for those who have faced similar challenges. Hoover's writing is very engaging, and she masterfully captures the depth of the emotional agitation that couples may tend to experience when dealing with such issues. This novel clearly excels in its portrayal of human vulnerability and the strength it takes to navigate the complexities of love and marriage, making it a compelling read.

Reviewer's Name
Caroline

Book Review: The Upside of Falling

Author
Light, Alex
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

In "The Upside of Falling" by Alex Light, readers are treated to a heartwarming and charming YA contemporary novel. This story revolves around Becca Hart, a high school student who, in an unexpected turn of fate, fake-dates Brett Wells, the most popular boy in school. Although the trope and theme may sound familiar, Light's storytelling immerses it with a fresh and engaging twist. Becca and Brett's journey through the ups and downs of their "pretend" romance is filled with humor, relatable characters, and a delightful exploration of the complexities of high school relationships.
I give "The Upside of Falling" four stars for its simplicity, like a cute, short Wattpad (where it was originally published) story. Alex Light's writing style is refreshingly light and accessible, making it an delightful read for fans of YA romance. The story's direct and endearing approach to love and self-discovery is very enjoyable, and the characters are relatable and easy to root for. This book's likable and uncomplicated narrative is suggestive of the online stories many readers adore, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a sweet and heartwarming escape into the world of high school romance.

Reviewer's Name
Caroline
Awards

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Author
Green, John
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars" is a heartwarming and pleasant YA novel that explores a variety of themes like love, illness, and essence. This particular story follows the narrative of Hazel and Augustus, two teenagers who battle cancer and embark on a journey of love and self-discovery together.
I rate "The Fault in Our Stars" 3 out of 5 stars for its easy readability, enjoyable narrative, and the extremely important message it conveys about cancer awareness through Hazel's and Augustus' characters. It is an incredibly nice, short book to read, particularly for audiences who are young adults. However, compared to some of the other books I've read, it doesn't delve as deeply and lacks the complex storytelling that I often seek while reading. While it certainly has its lovely positives that I enjoyed, the book, in my opinion, falls a little short in terms of depth and construction, which is why I choose to give it a 3-star rating.

Reviewer's Name
Caroline

Book Review: Crooked Kingdom

Author
Bardugo, Leigh
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

Crooked Kingdom is a sequel to Six of Crows, both of which are set in the Grishaverse. It is the story of how Kaz Brekker and his crew as they try to con Jan Van Eck out of his money before he builds an empire with the deadly substance, parem.

As with the last book, the characters are the standouts. Every member of the cast is fleshed out, and you can understand every decision they make. Jesper, Matthias, and Wylan are the standouts in this book. Each of them continue on their arcs in a natural way that leaves their characters feeling complete. Jesper realizes that many of his problems come from hiding his true self as a grisha. Matthias finally sees the beauty in the grisha. Wylan overcomes his father's influence and sees him for what he is.

The plot has constant twists and turns, but is still easy to follow. As the story progresses, the challenges the group faces continually grow more difficult. The characters have to change their plans multiple times to keep up with the growing influence of their adversaries. This story markets itself as a fun fantasy heist, and it more than succeeds in that. It might not say anything particularly meaningful, but it has a few nice messages sprinkled in there.

My main problem with this book is with Inej. Her arc was more or less completed in the last book, and this book doesn't have much for her to do. There's a brief crisis where she believes Kaz only keeps her around because she's useful, but that's resolved rather quickly. She has a rivalry with a character named Dunyasha, but nothing is done with that either. She beats Inej once, then loses the next time they fight. It doesn't make Inej grow or change. It just exists. It might not have bothered me so much if it wasn't built up as this incredible rivalry. I felt that the book wanted her to remain one of the main characters, but had to make up excuses for her to still be in the spotlight.

However, that one critique is rather small. Overall, Crooked Kingdom is a delightfully fun book. I would recommend it to any Grishaverse fans, fantasy fans, or heist fans.

Reviewer's Name
Rose

Book Review: Illuminae

Author
Kaufman, Amie
Rating
2 stars = Meh
Review

This book was interesting. It takes place in 2575 so way in the future and includes a planet invasion and a plague. It was also written in the transcripts of files and emails, so even though it was a long book it was a quick read. It was slow at the beginning and a little hard to get into because of the different way of writing it, but it eventually got good. I was interested for a while, but then it just got confusing again. I also did not enjoy the main character or the way she acted, her character development just stopped making sense. I’m not sure if I would recommend this book, I think if you want a legit sci-fi novel you should read this, but be prepared to focus try to transcript emails and codes.

Reviewer's Name
Cara