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dontmissythesereads's reviews
2192 reviews
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
4.5
Book #21 read in 2025
Ali Hazelwood does flawed, deep characters so well. Scarlett is an emotional mess after getting injured doing an inward dive in a competition. When we meet her, she's still working through that with a therapist and struggling to be the odd diver out on her five-member dive team, where the other four members are paired for synchro-diving.
Lukas is a world-class swimmer who has won Olympic medals and is the boyfriend of one of Scarlett's teammates, Pen. But when Pen confides that Lukas is into some kinky things and they're just not compatible, Scarlett realizes she and Lukas are. With Pen's blessing, they explore that relationship.
A lot has been made about the kink in this book on social media platforms, but it honestly makes up less than half of the book. Truth be told, I wanted more. The rest of the book delves into the mental strain that elite athletes go through, and, in true Hazelwood fashion, a "nerdy" STEM project is undertaken by Scarlett and Lukas, giving their relationship even more depth. I will read anything Ali Hazelwood writes, but Scarlett and Lukas have to be one of my favorite Hazelwood couples.
The narration by Therese Plummer and Ben Holtzmuller was terrific. My favorite part, besides Lukas's voice, was that it was Ben every time Lukas spoke. Therese didn't do the male character voice for Lukas at all, meaning it was easier to be in the moment with the two characters. I loved this book!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
Ali Hazelwood does flawed, deep characters so well. Scarlett is an emotional mess after getting injured doing an inward dive in a competition. When we meet her, she's still working through that with a therapist and struggling to be the odd diver out on her five-member dive team, where the other four members are paired for synchro-diving.
Lukas is a world-class swimmer who has won Olympic medals and is the boyfriend of one of Scarlett's teammates, Pen. But when Pen confides that Lukas is into some kinky things and they're just not compatible, Scarlett realizes she and Lukas are. With Pen's blessing, they explore that relationship.
A lot has been made about the kink in this book on social media platforms, but it honestly makes up less than half of the book. Truth be told, I wanted more. The rest of the book delves into the mental strain that elite athletes go through, and, in true Hazelwood fashion, a "nerdy" STEM project is undertaken by Scarlett and Lukas, giving their relationship even more depth. I will read anything Ali Hazelwood writes, but Scarlett and Lukas have to be one of my favorite Hazelwood couples.
The narration by Therese Plummer and Ben Holtzmuller was terrific. My favorite part, besides Lukas's voice, was that it was Ben every time Lukas spoke. Therese didn't do the male character voice for Lukas at all, meaning it was easier to be in the moment with the two characters. I loved this book!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
The Rival by Emma Lord
4.25
Book #20 read in 2025
Sadie gets into the college of her dreams, and the best part is that her high school rival, Seb, doesn't get into the same college. So Sadie is ready to take her college years by storm until, on the first day, showing up for a meeting for a spot on the university's zine, she runs, literally into Seb, who got accepted after all. The stage is set for the rivalry to continue, as only one of them can get the coveted spot on the zine.
Emma Lord does fun banter and crazy antics flawlessly in this one. I loved Sadie and Seb, and you could see right away that an underlying friendship was dying to get out. Enter an underground pancake shop and an unfair method of funding clubs at the university, and I was sold. Now, I just want to find a pancake shop like that one, as I haven't stopped craving them since finishing this book!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 21, 2025.
Sadie gets into the college of her dreams, and the best part is that her high school rival, Seb, doesn't get into the same college. So Sadie is ready to take her college years by storm until, on the first day, showing up for a meeting for a spot on the university's zine, she runs, literally into Seb, who got accepted after all. The stage is set for the rivalry to continue, as only one of them can get the coveted spot on the zine.
Emma Lord does fun banter and crazy antics flawlessly in this one. I loved Sadie and Seb, and you could see right away that an underlying friendship was dying to get out. Enter an underground pancake shop and an unfair method of funding clubs at the university, and I was sold. Now, I just want to find a pancake shop like that one, as I haven't stopped craving them since finishing this book!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 21, 2025.
All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson
5.0
Book #19 read in 2025
"...and every day she got up."
This was a moving and beautiful book, told in verse, about Sage, who is grieving the loss of her best friend. It is about her learning to cope with her feelings of guilt, loss, love, and the people around her who support her. As a middle-grade teacher, I feel this book should be on all of our shelves. Well done, Renée Watson, for giving a voice to children suffering loss.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
"...and every day she got up."
This was a moving and beautiful book, told in verse, about Sage, who is grieving the loss of her best friend. It is about her learning to cope with her feelings of guilt, loss, love, and the people around her who support her. As a middle-grade teacher, I feel this book should be on all of our shelves. Well done, Renée Watson, for giving a voice to children suffering loss.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
The Weekend Guests by Liza North
2.75
Book #18 read in 2025
Five university friends, Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon, reunite after they start getting cryptic messages about a secret from the past. Aline gathers them all because she believes one of them is responsible for the messages and wants to figure out who it is.
In this story, there are alternating POVs. Darryl, a neighbor of the group during their university days, narrates the past. His chapters are disturbing, as they are intended to be. They are supposed to give us a glimpse of the group of friends through his eyes, but in the process, we don't really learn anything about them as young adults. This means that they are still virtually strangers to us when we meet them as adults.
I may have read one too many locked-room types of thrillers, and this one was just not well done to me. I didn't really like the characters; I couldn't keep track of who was married, who had relationships in the past, and which kids belonged to which couple. I didn't care enough to figure it out. Finding out who sent the messages was an interesting surprise, but the actual ending was eye-rollingly ridiculous. I think I need to take a break from this trope for a while.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 28, 2025.
Five university friends, Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon, reunite after they start getting cryptic messages about a secret from the past. Aline gathers them all because she believes one of them is responsible for the messages and wants to figure out who it is.
In this story, there are alternating POVs. Darryl, a neighbor of the group during their university days, narrates the past. His chapters are disturbing, as they are intended to be. They are supposed to give us a glimpse of the group of friends through his eyes, but in the process, we don't really learn anything about them as young adults. This means that they are still virtually strangers to us when we meet them as adults.
I may have read one too many locked-room types of thrillers, and this one was just not well done to me. I didn't really like the characters; I couldn't keep track of who was married, who had relationships in the past, and which kids belonged to which couple. I didn't care enough to figure it out. Finding out who sent the messages was an interesting surprise, but the actual ending was eye-rollingly ridiculous. I think I need to take a break from this trope for a while.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 28, 2025.
The Snowbirds: A Novel by Christina Clancy
3.0
Book #17 read in 2025
When I read the blurb about this book, I was expecting much more of a mystery. Grant and Kim are at a crossroads in their marriage after 30 years together. Kim wants to go to Palm Springs for the winter and get away from the Midwest for a spell. She hopes this will allow them to rediscover each other and allow them to move into the next phase of their married life. Soon after they arrive, though, Grant goes missing while hiking. The rest of the story is told in alternating timelines: the past, highlighting their relationship up to the present, and the present and search for Grant.
For this novel to have fully worked for me, I would have to have fallen in love with Kim and Grant in the past storyline, but even then, they seemed ill-suited for each other. I struggled to connect to the characters even though the problems in their marriage were realistic and believable. This may have been a wrong-time read for me. I can appreciate Clancy's writing style, and I do want to read more from her in the future because even if Kim and Grant weren't for me, other characters with realistic life problems might be.
Karissa Vacker's narration was a highlight of this book. She always does a fantastic job bringing characters to life. Graham Halstead was also great!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
When I read the blurb about this book, I was expecting much more of a mystery. Grant and Kim are at a crossroads in their marriage after 30 years together. Kim wants to go to Palm Springs for the winter and get away from the Midwest for a spell. She hopes this will allow them to rediscover each other and allow them to move into the next phase of their married life. Soon after they arrive, though, Grant goes missing while hiking. The rest of the story is told in alternating timelines: the past, highlighting their relationship up to the present, and the present and search for Grant.
For this novel to have fully worked for me, I would have to have fallen in love with Kim and Grant in the past storyline, but even then, they seemed ill-suited for each other. I struggled to connect to the characters even though the problems in their marriage were realistic and believable. This may have been a wrong-time read for me. I can appreciate Clancy's writing style, and I do want to read more from her in the future because even if Kim and Grant weren't for me, other characters with realistic life problems might be.
Karissa Vacker's narration was a highlight of this book. She always does a fantastic job bringing characters to life. Graham Halstead was also great!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 4, 2025.
Unromance by Erin Connor
4.0
Book #15 read in 2025
Romance author Sawyer is having trouble writing her next book after suffering a breakup that makes her not believe in love or romance. Actor Mason West is just the opposite. He falls in love fast and quickly, and it always ends badly for him. The two have a chance meeting (meet cute) in a stuck elevator that leads to a one-night stand, and they decide that maybe they can help each other. Sawyer will ruin all the romantic tropes for Mason, so he stops associating them all with forever love, and in return, she'll have inspiration for her new novel. Easier said than done...
This is such a cute premise, and I love all the romantic tropes. The intros to each chapter are particularly fun. About halfway through, though, it started to get a little forced. As romance readers, we all know where this is going, but the chemistry between the characters came off more like friends than forever loves. I loved the idea and liked the book. It was a good debut novel.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 14, 2025.
Romance author Sawyer is having trouble writing her next book after suffering a breakup that makes her not believe in love or romance. Actor Mason West is just the opposite. He falls in love fast and quickly, and it always ends badly for him. The two have a chance meeting (meet cute) in a stuck elevator that leads to a one-night stand, and they decide that maybe they can help each other. Sawyer will ruin all the romantic tropes for Mason, so he stops associating them all with forever love, and in return, she'll have inspiration for her new novel. Easier said than done...
This is such a cute premise, and I love all the romantic tropes. The intros to each chapter are particularly fun. About halfway through, though, it started to get a little forced. As romance readers, we all know where this is going, but the chemistry between the characters came off more like friends than forever loves. I loved the idea and liked the book. It was a good debut novel.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 14, 2025.
A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
4.75
Book #14 read in 2025
Theo and Connor meet and quickly decide to get married. Connor is from the wealthy Dalton family, and Theo has gaps in her past from a traumatic childhood. When he takes her to meet the family at their isolated winter cabin retreat, she feels that she may have been there before. When she starts getting notes and texts telling her she shouldn't have come back, she knows she needs to figure out what happened there in the past.
As Theo is piecing together her past, there are some crazy twists that I didn't see coming. Every time I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong. Kate Alice Marshall is quickly becoming one of my favorite must-read authors. Once I started this, I stole every minute I could to read it. I loved this one!
Note about the narration: Karissa Vacker is fantastic at what she does. I was even more excited to read it when I saw she narrated this. She just doesn't miss when bringing the characters to life!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is expected to be published on February 4, 2025.
Theo and Connor meet and quickly decide to get married. Connor is from the wealthy Dalton family, and Theo has gaps in her past from a traumatic childhood. When he takes her to meet the family at their isolated winter cabin retreat, she feels that she may have been there before. When she starts getting notes and texts telling her she shouldn't have come back, she knows she needs to figure out what happened there in the past.
As Theo is piecing together her past, there are some crazy twists that I didn't see coming. Every time I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong. Kate Alice Marshall is quickly becoming one of my favorite must-read authors. Once I started this, I stole every minute I could to read it. I loved this one!
Note about the narration: Karissa Vacker is fantastic at what she does. I was even more excited to read it when I saw she narrated this. She just doesn't miss when bringing the characters to life!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is expected to be published on February 4, 2025.
Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J. Chow
4.0
Book #13 read in 2025
I think I liked this second installment of the series even better than the first. Felicity already has a strong hold on her magical power and how she can use it, but it isn't the central part of this story. In this one, Felicity and Kelvin are working at a wedding when chaos ensues. One of the groomsmen is murdered with Kelvin's pruning shears. To make sure Kelvin isn't blamed, Felicity decides she should investigate. Also, Felcitiy's absent father is a guest at the wedding and takes that as a sign that he should try to reconnect with his daughter. This gives us even more insight into Felicity's background.
There are a lot of characters to keep straight, and how they all connect to the bride, groom, and dead groomsman was a little complicated to track. The pacing was great, and the story moved along in a way that kept me interested throughout. I am excited to continue this series!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 21, 2025.
I think I liked this second installment of the series even better than the first. Felicity already has a strong hold on her magical power and how she can use it, but it isn't the central part of this story. In this one, Felicity and Kelvin are working at a wedding when chaos ensues. One of the groomsmen is murdered with Kelvin's pruning shears. To make sure Kelvin isn't blamed, Felicity decides she should investigate. Also, Felcitiy's absent father is a guest at the wedding and takes that as a sign that he should try to reconnect with his daughter. This gives us even more insight into Felicity's background.
There are a lot of characters to keep straight, and how they all connect to the bride, groom, and dead groomsman was a little complicated to track. The pacing was great, and the story moved along in a way that kept me interested throughout. I am excited to continue this series!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 21, 2025.
Cross My Heart by Megan Collins
3.5
Book #12 read in 2025
She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. If this tagline doesn't say it all. Rosie is a heart transplant recipient, and she recently connected with author Morgan Thorne whose wife gave Rosie her heart. Rosie has a complicated history and a failed love, so she basks in Morgan's attention. The more she learns about Morgan, though, the more suspicious she becomes that he may have had something to do with his wife's death.
My first immediate thought after meeting all the main characters was that I didn't like any one of them. They are all unreliable and unlikeable, and I was sure I knew what would happen. Everything was moving along slowly and predictably until a twist about halfway through the book totally upended my suspicions. That's when the book really got interesting. I definitely needed to see how it all wrapped up, and I admit that it was not at all what I thought. Kudos, Megan Collins!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 14, 2025.
She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. If this tagline doesn't say it all. Rosie is a heart transplant recipient, and she recently connected with author Morgan Thorne whose wife gave Rosie her heart. Rosie has a complicated history and a failed love, so she basks in Morgan's attention. The more she learns about Morgan, though, the more suspicious she becomes that he may have had something to do with his wife's death.
My first immediate thought after meeting all the main characters was that I didn't like any one of them. They are all unreliable and unlikeable, and I was sure I knew what would happen. Everything was moving along slowly and predictably until a twist about halfway through the book totally upended my suspicions. That's when the book really got interesting. I definitely needed to see how it all wrapped up, and I admit that it was not at all what I thought. Kudos, Megan Collins!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on January 14, 2025.
Now or Never: Stephanie Plum 31 by Janet Evanovich
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Book #11 read in 2025
After I finished it, I read so many reviews of this because I wanted to see what everyone thought about Stephanie's CHOICE. Finally. What I find interesting is that many people rated the book based on her choice. So, I'm going to address that first. In my opinion, Stephanie made the safe choice that her family would approve of, and that would give her stability. I don't blame her. I'm interested to see how this plays out in future books now that a choice has been made.
About the story, it's just what you would expect from a Stephanie Plum novel. She has a handful of FTAs that she's chasing with her sidekick, Lula. Chaos ensues in the same funny way. Characters, new and old, play a part in the story. Even though it is formulaic, it is still a fun read, and I love catching up with these characters every year.
After I finished it, I read so many reviews of this because I wanted to see what everyone thought about Stephanie's CHOICE. Finally. What I find interesting is that many people rated the book based on her choice. So, I'm going to address that first. In my opinion, Stephanie made the safe choice that her family would approve of, and that would give her stability. I don't blame her. I'm interested to see how this plays out in future books now that a choice has been made.
About the story, it's just what you would expect from a Stephanie Plum novel. She has a handful of FTAs that she's chasing with her sidekick, Lula. Chaos ensues in the same funny way. Characters, new and old, play a part in the story. Even though it is formulaic, it is still a fun read, and I love catching up with these characters every year.