#Abby Glines Review

[puresolacex]

“𝗛𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗲”

King Salazar would not have to tell me twice to get on my knees. 𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗡. King popped up as a recommendation on my reads and simply by the cover I was intrigued. I went in blindsided and the entire story ended up being the opposite of what I anticipated.

Southern mafia dark romance? 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗠𝗘 𝗨𝗣. Definitely the spiciest book I’ve read this year!

Just purchased the second book in the duet! So eager to start. 🖤

[monique-snyman]

Abbi Glines' Field Party Series Promises Hours of Fun!

I’m a bit of a sucker for good young adult series, regardless of the genre. It’s one of those things I’m no longer shy about saying that out loud. I recently found myself with a room full of laundry that needed to be ironed and thought: “Well, you may as well get a book to listen to while you work yourself to death.” Enter Abbi Glines‘ Field Party series … Did I mean to binge 7 audiobooks in one…

[willwriteforboots]

Book Review: "The Last Field Party" by Abbi Glines

Looking for a book to get you in the mood for Super Bowl Sunday that also gives you all the Valentine’s Day feels? The fifth book in my reading challenge The Last Field Party and the football-themed YA romance series it’s a part of may be just the thing to get you pumped for the big game. Intrigued? Here are my honest thoughts on The Last Field Party by Abbi Glines, the final installment of her…

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

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60. Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Falling into a new book in this series is always like falling mid-way into a dream--you're not entirely sure what's happening and you need a couple of chapters to recapture a hold of who the characters are and just where we are in the story.

MISLAID IN PARTS HALF-KNOWN is a slight continuation of the last book where we met a character who found herself in the in-between of doors. This is like a very loose sequel to that because we get to learn more about her "world" and how everything has led to the conclusion we get in this one.

I did really enjoy having these characters journeying through different worlds--even if some misadventures were more emotionally impactful for some characters over the others. I loved the exploration because it felt like I was going through these doors with these characters.

Also, why did the ending make me want to cry?

Will await the next one in this series because truly, this series could go on forever with the endless possibilities.

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61. The Titan's Bride Vol. 2 by ITKZ--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While the cover is pretty self-explanatory for what awaited me inside this manga, I'm also coming to really enjoy the storyline. In this one, we find the MC starting to come to terms with his circumstances and the importance of whatever choice he makes.

I am also intrigued by the secret everyone is seemingly keeping from him.

And yes, this manga is very, erm, sexual, but there IS a storyline in there and it is, at times, quite heartfelt. I also like the fact that the MC has a big heart and his past trauma isn't something he just magically forgot when faced when um, certain large anatomies.

Will read the next volume!

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62. Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At first, I thought that the BARBARIAN'S MATE was going to be my least favourite in the series because of how frustrating the characters were and how much of a let-down it (initially) felt like. But then as the story progressed and I got to know the characters and the reasoning behind their behaviours, my empathy started playing me and I started to better enjoy this book.

Some reviews talk about this having less smut and while this is true, it's also very fitting of the characters. The FMC has a hella traumatic past when it comes to sex and the MMC has a traumatic past when it comes to accepting mates and how they could change his life.

One of the things I'm surprisingly coming to appreciate about this series by Dixon, is how each book perfectly captures the mental health of its characters and the trauma they bring to the table. This was a perfect example of that. And although the FMC has been wanting a mate and a family of her own for forever, she had to work through her trauma before truly being able to accept that she deserves happiness.

Like I've said before on a different Dixon book, this author continues to surprise me because her writing is more than the smut she presents. She's actually really good at diving into the heart of her characters.

Will happily read the next book!

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63. Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read February 2024

Ah, the craving to re-read this hit me again. I'm just such putty for this book series. It's so cheesy and the romance is so problematic, but there's just something about her being the epitome of the "not like other girls" trope and he is so clearly also the epitome of the "bad boy player with a heart of gold that likes to control everything" that I just can't not read this book every so often.

If I had known back when I first read this that this would be a tried and true re-read for me every few years to almost every year, then I would have laughed hysterically. I don't know what it is about this series and why THIS series in particular is the one I am destined to re-read as if it were the first time for the rest of eternity, but it is like chocolate covered popcorn--it's delicious, but there's hard bits I will always ignore for the pleasure of the overall taste.

Anyway, if you pick this up, be aware that it was written in like 2012 or something, so that should say more than enough because romance in the early 2010s was....something.

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64. Never Too Far by Abbi Glines--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read February 2024

I think this one is where my love for the "surprise pregnancy" trope comes from, which I know is a very divisive trope. But I will always be a sucker for how the characters react to the pregnancy in this and how it changes everything but...doesn't? I think I also just really like the "woe is me" feeling that I get when I read certain scenes.

Listen, I know that if the MMC did half the things he does in this book in real life he would be someone I'd avoid like the plague, but because this is a (problematic) piece of fiction that I have accepted as one with many flaws, I will continue to read this addicting mess until the end of time.

I don't know, maybe it's the blond, big-boobed, blue-eye, thin FMC, or the hotter than sin MMC, but this series has its claws in me. LOL.

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65. Forever Too Far by Abbi Glines--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read February 2024

Ah yes, the clusterfuckiest of all the clusterfucks of this series. I love the drama of this series so much. It's one red flag after another and it is so ridiculous, but I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT AND WILL DEFINITELY BE READING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

So many reveals, so many fun times. I laughed so hard when a certain song is read aloud in the audiobook and the narrator says "this song is available to purchase on ITUNES." I howled.

Past the cringe, the revelations, Rush finally growing a backbone, and the reveal of the next book, I will forever fall too far for this series. There, I said it.

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66. Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I actually quite enjoyed CANADIAN BOYFRIEND, more than I thought I would. I didn't know what to expect and so I just assumed it would be a smutty rom-com of a read, but we all know what they say about people who assume.

First of all, if you're coming into this book for the smut, you're not going to get it. This is a closed-door romance that starts with friendship and ends under the sheets. And while I enjoyed their progression and growth as characters dealing with their own versions of trauma, I do wish we would have gotten steamy scenes to offset the heaviness of the plot. But I know, sex isn't everything.

I loved the father/daughter relationship between the MMC and his daughter. Grief is messy and when you're the surviving parent, it can be even messier. Being a kid who had to grow up with this type of grief, I know that fear of losing that remaining parent, so I empathized a lot with this kid--even if she came off bratty, there was usually a reason behind it.

I did enjoy how Holiday treated that reveal at the end and how emotionally mature the two characters were coming off of it. I liked that it wasn't made into a bigger thing than it was and that it was a perfect example of how the two characters have grown as people.

What I wasn't a big fan of were some of the smaller details--like the constant use of the MMC's full name. That felt weird--kind of the antithesis of the FMC telling the MMC that his fame doesn't matter to her. Every time she used his full name, it was like she was talking about this celebrity she couldn't believe was in her life. It's kind of how we usually use the full name of a celebrity instead of just saying their first name. It kept this weird distance between the MMC and the FMC and I don't know if this was intentional, but it felt a bit off-putting and admittedly very annoying.

But yeah, for the most part, I did really enjoy CANADIAN BOYFRIEND, more than I thought I would!

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67. My Love Mix-Up! Vol. 2 by Wataru Hinekure, Aruko, and Jan Cash--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This volume starts to show how this romance is going to get more complicated and how some of the characters might react to the central love story.

I loved seeing some of the character development and the support that other characters offered. I'm also just incredibly excited to get further into this series--especially knowing that I have all of the volumes waiting for me on my bookshelf.

I do find the MC to be incredibly dramatic and I actually love that. It's like the perfect contrast to the other MC's aloofness when it comes to love.

I can't wait to see this love story develop!

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68. The Titan's Bride Vol. 3 by ITKZ--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really liked the way this volume was done--specifically how it felt like a slice of life manga until the obvious fantasy aspects were introduced. Also, this one was definitely more about that spicy life, but I did enjoy how the author explored some of the complexities of relationships once the honeymoon stage is done.

I read these three books too quickly and now I must wait for volume 4. Sigh.

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69. Heroes by Alan Gratz--⭐️⭐️⭐️

HEROES wasn't my favourite Gratz novel, but I think a lot of younger readers are going to love the nonstop adventure and action, and heavy dose of history. These two boys somehow survive through fiery danger and deal with some heavy emotions along the way.

While this is historical fiction, I think that the MC could be a relatable character to young readers today because of his anxiety and his reluctance to do anything outside of his comfort zone/safe zone.

I do wish there was a bit more of character build up, so some of the moments were more impactful, but I think that just me wishing to get he REFUGEE emotional experience again.

Wasn't the biggest fan of the author's note, but well.

Will probably continue to read his books because they are super entertaining!

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70. The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena by R.L. Stine--⭐️⭐️

While some parts of this book were entertaining, the title of this book is a bit of a catfish. Yes, we do get some parts of this abominable snowman in Pasadena, but it's primarily set in Alaska. Which, okay, that's a whole other issue. What parent lets their preteen children roam around a place where polar bears roam? Or where said kids could also get lost because they literally have no idea where they are?

It takes parenting fails to a whole other level and as an adult, I heavily have to suspend my disbelief.

I don't know what I was expecting, considering so many of the past books have been meh, but this was...an experience lol.

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71. Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love a great story that features a heavily misunderstood MC who is drowning in an identity he created for himself that isn't actually him. Wes's level of character growth in SKATER BOY makes this such an enjoyable read. I wanted to know what would come next in his ever-changing life and Nerada delivered.

I think of the great things about this book is that the MC isn't the only one who has the chance to grow as a character. Everyone around him is given the chance to grow and find their true selves. In a way, this whole was a redemptive arc for everyone in the MC's life. And I absolutely adored that because it made all of the characters feel bigger than their background or side roles.

At the beginning of the story, the author's note comments on how he didn't want to make this book about Wes's coming out and I can kind of see that. While yes, him being in the closet and contemplating the dangers and troubles of coming out are a big part of the story, this is more a story about a teenage boy finding his way in a world determined to make a certain role for him.

I loved his mom and their relationship, I loved the self-realizations, and I loved the flawed friendships and relationship. I just really enjoyed this book. It left me feeling so content by the end, to the point where I couldn't immediately start another book right after. I needed a brief break to fully bask in the joys of Nerada's writing.

Will definitely read more from him!

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72. That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just like the first book, THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND YEETED A LOVE POTION AT A WEREWOLF was a hilarious, sexy, and adventurous romp. I had so much fun reading this book and found myself laughing at least once every chapter. I never knew I needed a series like this one in my life until I finally dived in. I seriously can't wait for the third book to get to me (I pre-ordered these gorgeous covers).

I loved the FMC because she was very relatable in the sense of having the insecurities and thinking that failed past relationships were indicative of what her future with love would be like. I love that she was paired up with the MMC because he was able to give her the love she thought she would never get. And listen, not just the love but wow, the spicy smut was also something I think she very much deserved.

I enjoyed being able to see other characters from the first book and how they all interacted. The way they all work off each other is great comedic work and their dialogue? LOL please, this was so good.

Also, here's a gif without context but that those who've read this book would understand:

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73. Without You by Marley Valentine--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the things I loved about WITHOUT YOU is how the toxic relationship with one of the parents is handled. I loved it so much that I'm starting this review with this instead of some random introduction. So many times I see stories with toxic parents who somehow find some sort of redemption and it's like nothing ever happened, but from the beginning I already knew this would go differently.

The two MCs find themselves drawn to each other a year after their mutual loss of someone very important in their lives. And while their love COULD be seen as somewhat taboo, I think it was a natural thing because the tension was there even before their connection happened. I DID find that said connection progressed a little too quickly for my taste, but I appreciated the healing it offered both characters.

This was a relatively quick read with some pretty great introspection, conversations about grief, the complicated relationships between parents and their children (especially the more toxic relationships), survivor's guilt, and mental health.

While some parts may have felt more surface level, this book overall dealt with so many important topics that the quick relationships could easily be overlooked. Definitely a great and admittedly sexy read.

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74. Barbarian's Touch by Ruby Dixon--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I mentioned in my last review that Dixon writes stories that may seem, on the surface, as silly little romances, but secretly, they've got heart and they tackle some pretty important topics. BARBARIAN'S TOUCH isn't any different, since it touches on a disability and I loved how Dixon weaved that so seamlessly into the story.

The FMC is deaf and she herself goes through a process of loving herself for who she is, no matter the expectations others might have of her. I loved how she stood up for herself and how she fought to have a level of communication between her and her mate. I also enjoyed that of all of the girls, she was the one who was most empathetic because she was so new to the world she now inhabits. Of all the girls, I think she's one of my favourites because of her ability to stand up for herself, and her self-confidence in a new place and situation.

The MMC is a sweetheart in this and his empathy for his mate is something that would make me blush in real life. These alien men are better than most human men I've encountered. (Of course, they HAD to be written by a woman.) I also thought his physic-like abilities were pretty cool.

One of the things that really bugged me was the FMC's response to finding out about the resonance. I can understand the reaction, but I was still frustrated. Also, this is one of the longer books in the series, so it read a bit like a slowburn (which I was a fan of, but I know a lot of people who read this series for the smut might have to wait a bit for these two couples to get it on.)

I think that as Dixon wrote this series, she really grew as an author and the relationships became more than just a romp in the sheets. Her characters have continuously taken on more dimension and I'm excited to see what else she does.

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75. When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've had WHEN WE WERE LOST on my ARC bookshelves for years. I remember picking it up at the event I found it at and thinking "this sounds exactly like the kind of book I would love to read." Five years later, I was super correct and so happy that it lived up to my expectations.

I spent all day yesterday finishing this book and stayed up until four in the morning reading BECAUSE I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I'm such a sucker for survival stories, especially when the MC is no-nonsense about it and doesn't give into the teenage dramas happening around him. That being said, he felt more like an adult in a pool of teenagers.

I loved the adventure of their survival and not knowing who would make it to the end. I will admit that it was very coincidental (some of the kids that survived the crash were the perfect people to survive with) and the MC has the most luck I've ever seen, especially considering how his parents died. But honestly, I loved that.

I do wish one of the characters had gotten the karma he deserved, but it's fine lol.

I'm glad I finally read this and hope to find another survival book one day in the near future!

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Have you read any of these titles? Would you recommend them?

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Happy reading!

[comfortcourt]

February Reading Wrap Up:

This months reading wrap up has been a strange one for sure, I did DNF a fair few books although as you can read below some books I should have DNFd instead of pushing through hoping for a miracle to happen.

All 20 books were from booktok and all are available on KU. Haven’t picked up a single physical book but that is the goal for March.

I did fall I love with a couple of books including Every Kiss You Steal, it had some very important topics in the book and honestly I just thought it was a really good read, it’s a standalone/interconnected series but I’ve only read this book so far in the series but you still get a gist of each character which is great.

I absolutely adored Wild Wicked Obsession which I couldn’t put down and have started to read it again because I think it’s just that good, I wasn’t expecting that plot twist near the end, definitely recommend. It’s also a standalone within an interconnected series within like another series? Layla Frost has her characters down, truly amazing I just wished Until Nox was longer it felt too short which is why I rated it 4⭐️

The majority of the 3 ⭐️ reviews are because I just “liked” them, they could have been improved but they weren’t “bad” reads & a few I’d read again because they were enjoyable but nothing to shout about?

- Logan, Samantha Whiskey | 3 ⭐️

- Sun Touched, Becky Moynihan | 3 ⭐️

- Our Preseason, S.C Kate | 2 ⭐️

- Final Score, Taylor James | 2 ⭐️

- Every Kiss You Steal, J.E Parker | 4 ⭐️

- Mile High, Liz Tomeforde | 4 ⭐️

- Her Vengeful King, A.N Staube | 3 ⭐️

- The sixty/forty rule, Ellie K. Wilde | 3 ⭐️

- Playing Hard To Get, Monica Murphy | 2 ⭐️

- Until Friday Night, Abbi Glines | 2 ⭐️

- Vital Blindside, Hannah Cowan | 3 ⭐️

- Quarterback sneak, Kandi Steiner | 4 ⭐️

- Chase and the girl who came back, Amber Davis | 1 ⭐️

- Controlled Chaos | 2 ⭐️

- Until Nox, Layla Frost | 4 ⭐️

- Finding Mayhem, Layla Frost | 4 ⭐️

- Wild wicked obsession, Layla Frost | 5 ⭐️

- Until August, Emery Rose | 4 ⭐️

- Mated To The Monster, Sarah Spade | 2 ⭐️

- The brightest light of sunshine, lisina Coney | 2 ⭐️

Let’s see what March brings us

[twomrw]

Book Reviews

100+ Books I Remember Reading

1-3.5 Sea Breeze by Abbi Glines

4-4.5 Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

5 The Three Musketeers

6 Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot

7 Almost by Anne Eliot

8 Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

[crumpledbookpages-blog]

Book Review of Vincent Boys/Brothers Series

*Disclaimer: This book review may contain spoilers. Also, this review is in no way meant to be offensive to the author or anyone else who may otherwise have positive or negative feelings toward the book itself. These opinions are purely my own and are meant to instigate conversations.*

Books:

The Vincent Boys #1 by Abby Glines

The Vincent Brothers #2 Abby Glines

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review:

This two-book series was definitely a quick read ( I read both of them in about two days). However, I do have my qualms with this series, particularly the second book. The dynamic between Beau and Ashton in “The Vincent Boys” is cute, not the healthiest, but cute. Two teens who arguably fell for each other in adolescence, end up falling for each other though she is dating his cousin. There is a sense of relatability toward Ashton with the issue of her trying to change herself to feel perfect for Sawyer and as the pastor’s daughter. But you do definitely end up feeling bad for Sawyer, as he feels betrayed by the two people he trusts the most: Beau and Ashton. Overall, this book fulfilled my need for YA romance and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

As for the second book, I can’t say the same thing. One thing I noticed while reading this book is that there seems to be a theme with Abby Glines and her descriptions of female protagonists. She seems to focus on traits that are supposed to make them conventionally unattractive. For example, Lana’s freckles are a big point of contention in this particular book (Similar to Tallulah’s weight in the Field Party series). It is actually repeatedly mentioned by Sawyer himself that Lana’s freckles are not attractive. I definitely think that this throws a wrench in this book, though it shows how truly unhealthy Sawyer and Lana’s relationship starts off.

What I think helps with the plot though is Sawyer’s character ark from the first book to the second. You go from feeling bad for Sawyer after the betrayal to feeling angry at the way that he constantly disregards Lana’s feelings. Though the ark isn’t a redemptive one, it adds a huge amount to the plot, which ultimately aids in me finding Lana more relatable than Ashton. And I can’t help but get frustrated with her when she just forgives Sawyer, no matter how he treats her.

I hope you guys enjoyed my first review. I really enjoyed writing it. Please let me know if there are any books you want me to review please let me know! Also if please follow me on my new instagram @crumpledbookpagess for more book related fun.

[kingsbridgelibraryteens]

Teen Review Tuesday: Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

Here’s a review from Jessica:

Maggie witnessed her father kill her mother, and she became mute. She lived with her godmother, but then she had to move in with her uncle. Her uncle had a son named Brady, who was her age. Maggie was really pretty, so when she went to her new school she got lots of attention. Maggie became friends with West, who was Brady’s football buddy / best friend. Because West’s father was really sick, she understood how he felt. West and Maggie fell for each other, after West kissed her in the beginning of the story. 

I’m recommending this book because it was so interesting, and it made me feel emotional (mad, happy, sad, excited). It was a weird but intriguing love story.

[chapters-of-mylife]

Rush Too Far by Abbi Glines {Book Review}

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GENRES:- Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Young Adult

RATING:- ⭐️⭐️1/2

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Fallen Too Far was Blaire's story. Now it's time for Rush to share his side. Everyone in Rosemary Beach thinks they know how Rush Finlay and Blaire Wynn fell in love. But Rush is back to tell his side of the story... Rush has earned every bit of his bad-boy reputation. The three-story beach house, luxury car, and line of girls begging for time between his sheets are the envy of every guy in Rosemary Beach, and Rush handles it all with the laid-back cool of a rock star’s son. All he needs are his best friend, Grant, and his sister, Nan. Until Blaire Wynn drives into town in her beat-up pickup truck with a pistol under her seat. The Alabama farm girl instantly captures Rush’s attention once he discovers that the angelic beauty is his new stepsister, but he vows to keep his distance. Even if she needs his help. Even if he craves her. Because Rush knows why Blaire is all alone in the world, forced to ask for help from the father who abandoned her three years ago. And he knows if he gets too close it will destroy Nan, who has a secret connection to Blaire. He has every reason in the world to stay away from her. Find out why he doesn’t. (FROM GOODREADS)

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WARNING there is a part where the text is scratched in this review THAT IS A SPOILER!

So you'll get it from the brief that this book is about the first book (Fallen Too Far) but it’s this time from Rush’s POV! 

I’ll admit the only reason  I read this book was that there were several scenes in the first book I really wanted to know what was Rush feeling or thinking when they happened!

I didn’t want to read this book because I was fairly sure it’s going to try and give an explanation to what Rush did! which was for me sad attempt to make Rush sounds like a victim in this relationship or to give him sympathy! 

well, there were parts when this book will have made me a fan of Rush and to sympathy with him, if I didn’t know how much he is still going to mess things up in the next books!! 

but as I said I wanted to see Rush’s side in some parts to get the full picture! I really was starting to feel for him until there was a time he said he wanted to tell Blaire everything but he was scared she’ll leave him so he has to make her love him first so she can’t leave him, which was a jerk move in my opinion! one more thing that every time I remember I see red was when rush said that it’s Nan’s secrets so he well not talk about it to Bliar!! seriously what a  🤬 🤬

The thing that I really loved in this book was that tidbit of conversation between Rush and Abe -Bliare’s father- in the kitchen before the scene when Blaire finds out about the truth that if you read the second book you can see Abe’s real feelings so clearly which really broke my heart!

I know he is a good guy but I can’t help becoming angry at him at his stupidity sometimes! 

[catlynn-reviews]

Book: Under The Lights Series: Field Party (Book 2) Author: Abbi Glines Pages: 337 Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5) Favorite Quote: “Loving someone doesn’t mean allowing them to use you for their benefit. It just means they have a place in your heart. A place that they earned.”  Recommendation: If you like southern settings, football, teenage drama, love stories, broken girl meets the guy to fix her trope Trigger Warnings: Suicide, brief mention of rape, technically incest? but it’s kind of glossed over Synopsis:

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.

My Opinion:

This entire series relies pretty heavily on the broken girl trope. You know the one. Where the broken girl meets a boy and suddenly she’s a perfect fixed girl because of their love (although they’ve known each other for like 2 weeks). Or as I like to call it, utter bs.

Because of the aforementioned, the series is very formulaic, which gets old pretty fast.

If you like the trope, great! More content for you. I personally despise it, so I disliked this book series.

Not to say there aren’t some cute moments. It is a love story after all.

This book also reinforces the whole idea that guys can treat girls like crap, but it’s ok, they only do it because they love you. Again, I find that utter bs.

These comments work for basically every book in the series because they aren’t very different from one another so you might get deja vu reading the reviews for the other books.

[she-writes-anonymously]

The Vincent Boys Book Review

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These two books are written by author Abbi Glines.

The first book The Vincent Boys Plot is based on Ashton who is getting tired of being good, impressing her parents, and playing her ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is portrayed as “perfect” and “Prince Charming”, but when he leaves town for the summer, Ashton falls in love with his cousin Beau. *(who then turned out to be Sawyers's Brother).

The Second Book, The Vincent Brothers picks up 6 months after the break-up of Sawyer and Ashton. Sawyer is still hurt, heartbroken, and angry trying to come to terms with seeing Ashton and Beau's relationship, and he falls in love with Ashton’s cousin Lana.

Abbi Glines understood the assignment by keeping it within the family, ifykyk.

These books are young love novels and it’s meant to be cheesy, you have to go in there knowing that. At times the plot might fall a bit cliche. The narrative is entertaining because you get to see both main characters’ perspectives and you get to follow the main characters’ train of thoughts, and feelings, it makes you empathize a lot more with them.

My problem with the overuse of the phrase “My Girl” at times was it felt like Ashton was a property and the fact that Ashton was described as “fierce”, “wild” and still never stood up to correct either Beau or Sawyer from calling her “my girl” and referring to her as an object to be won as opposed to a person, still bothers me not gonna lie.

My problem with the second book it’s the plot and the horrendous love-story development for Sawyer and Lana. My girl Lana deserved to be treated better from the beginning.

In my opinion, when I first read this book I was 15th and I was so invested in the love story and felt all of those emotions. Now, re-reading the book an entire decade later it feels a bit cheesy, I would still recommend these two-book though because they’re entertaining, and for the sake of you issuing your own opinion.

3/5

*3 stands for being a neutral recommendation. It’s not a dislike, and it’s not an overly like it.

[literalizzy]

Another sequence of books I've read this semester were Abby Glines books. I've read both Rosemary Beach's and Sea Breeze's ones, then the Vincent Boys and two of the Rosemary Beach meets Sea Breeze. It kept me entertained for a couple weeks, most couples were pretty easy to fall for and the development held your attention for a long time, trying to understand how such huge problems could be solved.

I won't lie, I may have a sweet spot in my heart for big plots that works with the point of view of a whole group, and Abby does exactly that. For that reason, I kept myself entertained for a long time, even though it wasn't even close to be one of my favorite books. I have a long list of criticizes over the plots and the writing.

For example, the repetition of "that made the caveman inside of me growl" or any phrase with that same idea. Every book had at least two of these. It was like seeing the soulmates thing by Sarah J Maas, but written with rich southern guys. Also, as I have this habit of reading with the percentage on, I kind of noticed a pattern of writing that also repeated every book. It's been a long time since I read it, but it was something like: at 50% they start dating; at 80% the main problem explodes; at 95% the main problem is solved. At first, it was okay, it's normal to have some plots a little bit repeated when you're writing 15 books over the same group of friends. However, to have the same book developments every single time, it gets predictable, and soon it starts getting boring.

Something else that was a problem to me, but it was a pretty much of a personal taste thing, was the morbidity of some of the plots. This kind of death plot, with an ex lover who died years ago, was used sometimes by Abbie. Personally, I hate this kind of plot. Specifically Dewayne and Sienna's story (Hold on Tight #8, Sea Breeze). They were one of my favorite couples, but their backstory with the whole brother death and his cheating, I don't know, it just kept in my head for days. I've literally ended up reading and started a self analysis of how sweet the couple was at the same time of how morbid the story was.

These are only some of my criticizes, I honestly could spend three pages talking about every single thing that bothered me in those books. I understand why people liked it so much though, it's the kind of plot that would usually get me too if it weren't for all of those points.

[beyondforks]

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2023!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

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34. Never Too Far by Abbi Glines--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read March 2023 Hi, it's me re-reading one of my favourite problematic series! I love seeing my past reviews and how my mindset changes and evolves over time. As I write this, I am already craving re-reading this again LOL. But if I try reading past this series, I can't do it. This is just a messy gem that I will for sure re-read many many more times.

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35. Forever Too Far by Abbi Glines--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read March 2023 I'm always sad to finish this trilogy and the drama it brings. Delicious as always. ___

36. The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I heard about this one a bit ago and was excited to read it because of all of the positive reviews. I was always worried because we all know what happens when we go into a book with expectations. I'm happy to say that I can understand why this book has so much hype behind it. It's a great exploration of family and the complexities of grief. It was interesting to see how everyone dealt with the grief they were all feeling as yet another summer started and one family member was missing. I think the concept of the game the family played before the wedding was genius and I wish I had a big enough family to play it. I also loved how it was the perfect opportunity for the MC to both connect with the memory of her sister and with a part of herself she never thought she would experience (especially coming off a toxic and long relationship.) Speaking of which, I loved the love interest. He had some pretty cool moments and was the perfect balm for the MC. I think this is a great summer read, especially since we're now starting to get into the summer vibes. Great for those who are going away to meet up with family, or those who are staying behind to chill by the pool, beach, or their garden.

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37. Promise Boys by Nick Brooks--⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I think I went into this expecting something slightly different than what I got. It was a very powerful read, but I think the pacing felt a little off--at least, if we're going by the synopsis. I enjoyed reading this from multiple perspectives because I think it rounded out the story really well. I love when authors do this because it gives me perspectives to a story that I might have otherwise been wanting to see. Each character was dealing with their own issues and while said issues (like relationship troubles) weighed the story down a bit, I can also appreciate that these are teenagers. Overall, I thought this was a good mystery and it has some seriously important topics--like corruption in schools, the treatment of Black boys in American schools, and the way society sees Black boys--but I think if some of the situations were flushed out a little more; if the pacing was a little better, this would have been a higher rating for me. Don't get me wrong: this book is incredibly readable and I recommend it, if not for the mystery then for the moments where you might get angry at the discrimination and racism, but I do think that something about this book felt missing. This is actually a very short book--I think it would have benefitted if it was just a tad bit longer.

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38. Set On You by Amy Lea--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the representation of a fat FMC and the hot, big and tough love interest (MMC). I always love reading stories like that because I've heard that muscle gym bros love bigger girls. I loved seeing the FMC actively share her journey and have some pretty good character growth by the end of the story. I loved that final message she shared and I think it could be an especially healthy message to share with readers who may also be stuck in that web of toxic positivity. I'm not going to lie, the MMC was a bit forgettable--mainly because I'm writing this a month or so after reading the book and I don't really remember any of his traits....oops. What I DO remember, however, is him kind of messing up a bit somewhere in there. This isn't to say that it's all on him. The FMC, in my opinion, handled everything in probably the least healthy way possible--which, tbh, is understandable because anxiety and depression is a bitch that takes zero days off. But I think the biggest downfall of this couple is their problem with communication. When it comes to my romances, besides the smut and the enemies to lovers sexual tension, I want a healthy level of communication. When miscommunication or a lack of communication leads to the main climactic point of a book (the main conflict), then you've lost me. Imagine all of the pain that could have been avoided? Overall, I would recommend this one because of the amazing representation and the spicy tension during this couple's enemies to lovers initial bond. I'd read more books by this author, but that communication issues has got to go.

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39. Virgin River by Robyn Carr--⭐️

I'm going to be very honest here: I made it 76% before I DNF'ed this. I normally don't write reviews for books I've DNF'ed but a) I think I made it far enough and b) I have things to say. I read this book back in March and I still remember the parts that made me want to throw the whole book away. It started alright with the premise of a city woman moving to a small town. I loved that concept because then she meets the gruff but willing man who will show her the beauty of her new home. To start easy: This book draaaaaaaags. It honestly felt like it would go on forever and never end. It would get to certain parts where I would actively check how much I had left because there is no way that more still needed to happen. But other than the slow pacing, this wasn't my main concern. I admit that I try to not read reviews before I pick up a book. I tried to follow the hype behind the tv show and the series (it has a million books), but I honestly....don't get it? But my main point is that I don't know if others have talked about my next complaint about this book. My main concern with this book is a particular scene that happens between a fourteen year old and a sixteen or seventeen year old--I don't remember his age, but it was one of those two. The girl is described as this obvious sexual being when she is a CHILD. Even the boy is wary of her age. Then we get a chapter from his perspective where they are having sex. Very descriptive sex. Two teenagers. Two children. I don't want to go into detail, unlike the book, but it made me so incredibly uncomfortable. Then, later in the book, the male character thinks about being *inside* of her and missing the warmth. Wtf. A child. I've read a ton of YA and I think it's perfectly fine to have sex positivity in those novels because a) they're usually not descriptive (and if they are, they're not to that level because the authors know their audience), and b) it's usually aimed towards other teenagers who can relate. Even still, sex positivity in a YA novel is different than a very descriptive sex scene between two children in an adult novel that has spicy scenes between adults. Don't get me wrong, I love smutty novels but not this. That was not right and I'm surprised that this book has such high ratings. It's so creepy! Reminds me of how creeped out I was about the Princess Diaries having a 14 year old MC dating an 18 year old teenager. Anyway, this wasn't for me. Even if there wasn't a creepy af scene, the pacing would still have made this a DNF for me.

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Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts!

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Happy reading!

[dirtyriver]

Florida Polk County Schools Pull Raina Telgemeier's Drama From Shelves

Polk County in Florida is the latest to be subject to banning of the critically acclaimed bestselling graphic novels from schools, part of a series of such exclusions in recent years that Bleeding Cool has covered. Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid has asked middle and high school librarians to remove 16 books from schools for a review, after receiving complaints about the books from the activist group County Citizens Defending Freedom. And they include Drama by Raina Telgemeier, one of the bestselling graphic novels of recent times, from 35 locations. The graphic novel is a coming-of-age story involving the crew of a middle school musical has won both praise and criticism for its LGBTQ portrayal.

Drama by Raina Telgemeir

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossein

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

It's Perfectly Normal by Robert Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley

Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart

George by Alex Gino

I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

County Citizens Defending Freedom describes itself as "an organization that empowers and equips American citizens to defend their freedoms and liberties at the local level. By streamlining and simplifying activism, we support and champion American citizens who want to stand up for their independence. To equip and empower American citizens to stand for and preserve freedom for themselves and future generations. To resolve breaches of freedom and liberty through local awareness, local light, and local action". And a vision to"see CCDF-USA affiliates spread organically in counties across America. To become the inspiration and action arm of local citizens to defend their faith, freedom, and liberty, while placing local governance under the watchful eye of local American citizens acting as patriots."