taliabasma's reviews
826 reviews

The Pussy Next Door by Amy Award

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hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-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

2.75

I really liked Willow and I also think Hayes is a great partner for her. That being said, I think around the 70% mark I was very disappointed by the very dragged out ending. Without spoilers, I will say the plot just went from being a small town romance to eat pray, love energy.

For those of you that don’t mind spoilers I just feel like the trip to Japan while conceptually I understood the messaging around. It was unnecessary and felt very random. It completely skewed the pacing all for the café to not even matter within a couple chapters and we went from Willow being someone who is a spirited person, but in the town for the most part, not really mentioning wanting to leave as much to it being this whole conversation group oiler>
 about what they need to do as a couple to be happy and who needs to sacrifice their dreams or their goals and I don’t understand why it was such a Dramatic presentation. I feel like the message was true. I agree with the concept that a  partner shouldn’t sacrifice for the other but rather come to a healthy compromise — but the Socratic seminar set up of the scene, just felt very preachy as opposed to part of the novel’s plot and honestly, I think everything just went down downhill after the trip to Japan. It just felt very, very specific to what the author wanted as opposed to what felt natural to the scenes and energy of the books, starting set up.
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Cocoa Kisses by Melanie Jacobson

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Hmm it’s a novella and it’s not bad but it’s dragging to me rn lol
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

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4.0

I was really into it but I reached the climax and it was GOOD but the *after* of the climax dragged a bit for me with all these “time jumps”. 

I think the way the ML loves the FL and the way the FL has to become more willing to be vulnerable was all beautiful and realistic 🩵
This Spells Disaster by Tori Anne Martin

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
I think I need a “witchy” themed break lol 
This Spells Love by Kate Robb

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Smth abt it just isn’t doing it for me personally. It’s not bad but not good enough for me to keep going/what I need rn 
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing sad tense 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

4.75

I want to give this book 5 stars and might change my mind, but this book was AMAZINGLY cute and self aware and relevant and relatable and just so good.

Why do I feel hesitant to give it 5 full stars? I might be nit picking but it’s specifically this
when the FL gets into a fight with her sister at the climax, they all center on her sister blaming her for their moms death - rough and expected fine - BUT as they work to forgive, the FL never apologized for starting it by saying it would be her sisters fault if their dad dies. It was said but the FL doesn’t even internally feel bad about it as she gripes over her sister’s words and really just ONE sentence of acknowledgement would have done wonders for this esp bc the FL is so self aware for so much other stuff
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Hmm it’s not bad but it’s very slow and I’m kinda lost compared to book one…
Babel by R.F. Kuang

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Umm so for an audiobook, this won’t work for me and if I’m being very honest, it’s unlikely I will read a physical copy lol 

I avoided poppy wars bc it’s too sad/intense so idk why I thought I could take on babel. Just the name change alone hurt me esp the surname 🥲
Rootbound by Tarah DeWitt

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emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-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

3.0

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I wouldn't say they book was bad but idk it was like so fast and easy to zone out and then when I would pay attention, they seemed to time jump most of the trip. 

Then the parents are so messy which is accurate and relatable but idk it felt less like a drama with romance bc of how messy the family drama was and how it centered the novel. 

Also the ending confused me
was her mom the famous author all along??? how did that work? she set up months and years of work for her daughter for books she never wrote? Or did her mom find a person to role play the job of the author?


I just had the audiobook playing in the background while on my laptop at night and I do think I missed a decent chunk but like idk it normally isn't a big deal nor does the ends of those books leave me pretty lost...
Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks

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hopeful inspiring tense 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

4.25

Ok so Rionna is a baddie before being a baddie became a thing and I love that for her. I also love how it doesn’t read as “pick me” or “oh man I’m like a boy and nooo other girl is like me”. Though I have no desire to be a warrior, I think Rionna’s desire to be both feminine and independent is relatable regardless of what year this book is read. 

Caelen was a great broody warrior with damage that needed to be healed. His shows of affection while still being guarded had me kicking my feet giggling bc weee knowwww mans is in looovveee. 

Also no spoilers but YES to that climax
I love that SHE saved him and wouldn’t have accepted ANY other alternative. Bonus is she saves him like 3 times when on Cameron‘s keep and ugh I loved it. I also KNEW his faith in her would be tested and he passed but just barely lol I do wish he was more certain regardless of his history


Now for some spoilers as to what I didn’t like
I had hoped I’d get a better answer as to why Rionna never sent a message or checked in on Keeley after she was banished, she clearly did as she pleased for the most part when her father ruled. Second, it was added to wonder why Cameron murdered their dad but we are given a weak plot about their dad causing Cameron‘s own father’s death and there isn’t a real stance on if it IS true or now which kind of annoyed me bc why bother giving him a reason at all at that point? I had already accepted no legit reason other than he’s horrible and a jealous man bc book 1&2 don’t touch on the reason either so this was eh but I already made my own reason so it didn’t ruin the book too much for me overall