Book Review: Love & Olives (Love & Gelato #3) by Jenna Evans Welch

March 22, 2023May 14, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 506 pages
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: November 10th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Santorini felt like an island holding its breath. As if it were keeping in a secret…

Liv Varanakis doesn’t like to think about her father much, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight, leaving her with just a few painful memories of their shared love for the lost city of Atlantis. So when teenage Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father, who explains that National Geographic is supporting a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and asks if she will fly out to Greece and help—Liv is less than thrilled.

When she arrives in gorgeous Santorini, things are just as awkward as she’d imagined. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. Liv doesn’t want to get sucked back into her father’s world. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo, her father’s charismatic so-called protégé, to witness her struggle.

Even so, she can’t help but be charmed by everything Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the sun-drenched villages, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.

TAKE ME TO SANTORINI.

Oh wow. I read Love & Gelato years ago and adored it. I ended up skipping book two after seeing less than stellar reviews. I HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A BOOK THREE??

I’m so glad I read it because it was the charming quintessential young adult contemporary that I love reading. This gave me major wanderlust about traveling and now I have officially added Santorini to my bucket list. I loved all of the Atlantis theories and lore. I remember a time when I was really into this fabled city and it was fun exploring that too. The ending made me tear up with the discussions on mental health and doing the best you can.

Olive held a lot of pieces I love about teen girls. I liked her bravery in going to see and confront her father, but also her willingness to see what’s been happening in his life. She had a great balance of (deserved) anger and finding new joys while overcoming personal anxieties. I thought the sweet romance with Theo was so stinkin’ cute. It continually made me smile. My only tiny issue was that I hate when a main character dates someone off page for 95% of the book (he really didn’t have a point past the first 15%).

Anyways, LOVED THIS. A great edition to the series.

Overall audience notes:

YA Contemporary Romance
Language: very little
Romance: kisses
Trigger/Content Warnings: bipolar disorder, panic attacks, smoking

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

March 20, 2023May 10, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Books
Release Date: June 16th, 2009
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

TEAM STEPMOM.

These were some tough parents to read about. A Dad who brought me to rage induced rants because of his lack of care for his wife and new baby. A Mom who was incredibly stubborn and seemed incapable of seeing other’s view points and was constantly passive aggressive. And they honestly brought the story down for me. I was expecting to see some growth from them (and for Auden to talk it out) but I don’t feel like that happened enough at the end to be satisfied.

I enjoyed the story overall. It’s very much classic/older YA and that’s part of it’s charm. I purely picked this up to watch the movie and am not upset that I did. I liked the friendships that Auden was able to develop. I especially loved her step-mom. Instead of being the usual trope of awfulness, she was a woman stuck in a rough post-partum situation and I liked that they leaned on one another (even if Auden wouldn’t recognize it).

The romance was very lackluster. Honestly it almost felt as if there wasn’t one? It’s a slow burn with little page time. I would have loved a lot more of Eli and how he could have better factored into the story.

A formulaic YA contemporary that is, ya know, perfectly fine.

Overall audience notes:

YA Contemporary Romance
Language: a little
Romance: make-outs
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: teacher/student relationship mentioned (side character), cheating, alcohol consumption, post-partum depression, loss of a friend (side character, but plays central role)

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Well of Eida (The Fallen Kingdoms #1) by KB Benson

March 12, 2023February 7, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 413 pages
Author: KB Benson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 3rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two years have passed since Ari was taken as a prisoner to the troll realm. Two years of blood staining her hands, killing as the troll king’s mercenary. In Eida, it’s kill or be killed, and Ari will do anything to survive.

But survival does not come easy in Eida, especially for a young woman with fire in her blood.

When Ari’s sold to one of Eida’s most notorious training masters, her survival comes with a price: unleash the monster she’s buried inside. A very real and very dangerous creature no opponent can defeat.

Ari expects to kill. She expects to survive. But she doesn’t expect the growing feelings she has for the man who has claimed her as his. Together, Ari and her master will cut down every opponent in the arena seeking a wish from their king.

Until a man from her past challenges her within those walls, and everything Ari has fought for crumbles. All for a man she once loved. But if she is to save her own life, she must take his.

After all, everyone dies in Eida.

NEED THE SEQUEL.

This was a good starter book!! I enjoyed a lot of it and have definite plans to pick up the next book.

The beginning gets you on the edge of your seat real quick. I liked all of the action and intense fight scenes. Within that I do think the middle got a little repetitive with how many fight scenes there were. I was looking for a bit more character building or something else not endless streams of altercations. I did like Ari too. She is clearly on a big character arc and for the beginning of the series I am happy to watch this journey for her.

Note: there is a love triangle!!! It does add a level of angst and making me want to shake a few characters BUT I do think with a longer series it’s going to create some drama that I look forward to (as long as I’m on the right side….).

I liked most of the world building. I felt like that was unveiled well and some good answers about the trolls were given. What I’m still confused about is the magic system. I’m not sure why certain people have certain things and I need some answers on that front.

A solid start. Brutal, intense and a dash of romance. I liked this one a whole lot. Can’t wait for more!

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy
Language: very little
Romance: kisses
Violence: med-high
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, physical and magical altercations, creature attacks, plague-like sickness, near death experience, weapons violence

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

February 3, 2023April 18, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Regency Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Jennieke Cohen
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 11th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Culinary delights abound, romance lingers in the air, and plans go terribly, wonderfully astray in this cheeky and charming historical tale, perfect for fans of Bridgerton or Dickinson.

It’s 1830s England, and Culinarians—doyens who consult with society’s elite to create gorgeous food and confections—are the crème de la crème of high society.

Helena Higgins, top of her class at the Royal Academy, has a sharp demeanor and an even sharper palate—and knows stardom awaits her if she can produce greatness in her final year.

Penelope Pickering is going to prove the value of non-European cuisine to all of England. Her contemporaries may scorn her Filipina heritage and her dishes, but with her flawless social graces and culinary talents, Penelope is set to prove them wrong.

Elijah Little has nothing to his name but a truly excellent instinct for flavors. London merchants won’t allow a Jewish boy to own a shop, so he hawks his pasties for a shilling a piece to passersby—but he knows with training he can break into the highest echelon of society.

When Penelope and Helena meet Elijah, a golden opportunity arises: to pull off a project never seen before, and turn Elijah from a street vendor to a gentleman chef.

But Elijah’s transformation will have a greater impact on this trio than they originally realize—and mayhem, unseemly faux pas, and a little romance will all be a part of the delicious recipe.

IT WAS SWEET.

I know nothing about My Fair Lady. Apparently this is a gender bend on that? Maybe so.

I did think this book was incredibly sweet. I liked the plot set-up and all of the FOOD. Oh my goodness, so much baking and cooking. I think I was hungry half the time just listening to this because everything sounded delectable. I’m a sucker for a good cuisine book and this nailed it.

I struggled the most with Helena. I knew her character was meant to be unlikeable but wow did she really annoy me. Hallelujah for the growth she showed in the end after Penelope and Elijah both showed some backbone and told her to get with the program and off of her high horse.

Penelope and Elijah were easily one of my favorite parts. Such a tender and slow burn acquaintances to lovers romance. I adored the way they connected over food and their history. The meaningful conversations surround those of mixed race and Jewish decent in the time period brought another complex layer to this read. I really enjoyed this one and the audiobook was fantastic too.

Overall audience notes: