4-stars – Page 2 – Talk Nerdy Book Blog

Book Review: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

March 31, 2021

B

The Gist: A bachelorette-style romance that delves into the pervasive fatphobia in the US while serving a dramatic yet sweet romance that falters a bit with its distant narrative and rushed ending.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 7, 2020

Synopsis

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers–and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?

Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition–under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful anti-fat beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it.

But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale.

Ending

HEA

Representation

• Fat Heroine
• Lesbian supporting character
• Fat supporting characters
• Asian-American Jewish supporting character
• Black supporting character
• Gender expansive side character
• Asexual and romantic supporting character

Possible Triggers

• Emotional abuse, including fatphobic hate speech
• Threat of r@pe (comments on social media posts)
• Death threats (comments on social media posts)

Safety Rating: Safe with Exception

• Does have cheating
– Heroine sleeps with her best friend and long-time unrequited crush while he’s engaged
– While there was no discussion about monogamy, the Heroine assumed each of the men she was dating on the show was monogamous. One of the men, however, had been sleeping with people throughout the show.
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama (she is dating 25 men at once (to start), so jealous does arise.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4-stars

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Book Review: When He’s An Alpha by Suzanne Wright

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

March 3, 2021

B

The Gist: A steamy paranormal romance that perfectly balances hilarious banter with emotional character development. The Heroine is awesomely self-aware and confident; she stands up for herself without tilting into the ‘not like other girls’ trope. The second chance romance provided some riveting angst but also contributed to the lack of a 5-star rating.

Series: Olympus Pride, #2*

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Synopsis

The golden rule of shallow flings is not to get attached, right? Well, Havana Ramos broke it. Big time. There’s just something about Tate Devereaux that pulls at her. Assertive, compelling, and self-assured, the Alpha cat shifter pushes every one of her best buttons. Like really, really hard. Having overheard an enlightening conversation, she knows he won’t give her more than a fling—something, to be fair, he’d told her well in advance. If she doesn’t want her heart to get bruised, it’s time to end what little they have. It’s not like he’ll care or anything. Except … it turns out that he does.

Newly-appointed Alpha Tate Devereaux is never bothered when women walk away. He can’t exactly blame them, given his distrustful cat’s habit of withdrawing from relationships. But when lone shifter Havana ends their fling, everything within Tate rebels against it—including his cat. Even as she and Tate work together to crush the threat looming over her, Havana holds him at arms’ length. But if she thinks she can end their fling with no real explanation and that he’ll just tip his hat and walk away, she’s forgotten one very important thing—there’s nothing easy about shaking off an Alpha.

Ending

HEA

Representation

• Heroine of colour
• Asian supporting character
• Bisexual side character

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Gun violence
• Human trafficking
• Reference to r@pe
• Blood and violence
• Murder of parents
• Torture

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have OM and OW drama
– Ex-friends-with-benefits of Heroine tries to win the Heroine back
– Ex-almost-imprinted-mate of Hero tries to win Hero back
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
– Hero doesn’t want a serious relationship so they break up for a bit
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: 4-stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

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Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

February 17, 2021

B

The Gist: The 4th book in the iconic A Court of Thorns and Roses series solidifies Nesta as my favourite character; perspective is everything.

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4

Release Date: February 16, 2021

Synopsis

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.

Ending

HFN

Representation

• Bisexual side character
• Supporting character of colour

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Discussion of past r@pe and sexual assault
• Attempted r@pe
• PTSD
• Depression
• Suicidal ideation
• Violence with blood and gore
• Discussion of past physical abuse

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
– Nesta has *not* been celibate since meeting Cassian
– Cassian has been celibate for 2-years
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4.25-stars

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Poignant and Impassioned: My Saving Grace by Melanie Moreland

By Sarah

In 4-stars, ARC, Book Review

February 11, 2021

P

Cover of "My Saving Grace" by Melanie Moreland

The Gist: A poignant forbidden romance packed with some classic romance tropes: married in Vegas, grumpy Hero, employee-boss relationship and a second chance romance. The novel is riddled with angst and sweet moments and explores what it means to find The One at the exact wrong time and a Hero who will do all he can to win his girl back. Unfortunately, the plot suffers from a dumb misunderstanding, which detracted from my enjoyment of the novel.

Series: ABC Corp, #1*

Release Date: February 25, 2021

Synopsis

It’s time for the next generation of Vested Interest to find their Happily Ever Afters.

Grace VanRyan has her life mapped out. Law school, a career with ABC, and a bright future ahead of her.

Until Jaxson Richards steps into the picture. He’s everything she hasn’t planned for. Older, sexy, off-limits.

And her new boss.

When the passion between them explodes, will her life blow up along with it?

Ending

HEA

Representation

• Gay supporting character

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Sexual harassment
• Blackmail
• Child abuse and abandonment
• Reference to drug abuse and a child being a drug courier
• Near death experience in a gas like explosion

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OM drama
• Does kinda have OW drama
– The Hero is never with the OW but she sexually harasses him at work once on-page and becomes an issue later on in the MCs relationship.
• the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away
• No separation
– They work together but they do break up romantically for a few weeks
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: eARC

Rating: 4-stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

Note: I received My Saving Grace through Melanie Moreland’s team in exchange for an honest review.

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Magical and Entrancing: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

December 9, 2020

M

The Gist: An entrancing standalone epic fantasy; it brings the magic of books to life through the Heroine’s journey to discover who is attempting to sabotage the Great Libraries and made all the more enjoyable by its adorable enemies to friends to lovers romances and themes of friendship.

Series: Sorcery of Thorns, #1

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Synopsis

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Ending

HFN

Representation

• Bisexual Hero
• Asexual supporting character

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder
• Allusion to torture
• Gaslighting

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away
• Does have a separation between the Heroine and Hero
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4.75-stars

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Vulnerable and Cathartic: Untamed by Glennon Doyle

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

November 14, 2020

V

The Gist: An unabashedly honest memoir, comprised of short essays, Glennon draws on her experiences with consciously uncoupling from her husband, parenting her children in a blended-family, marrying her wife, Abby and reconciling her God with religion as an institution, to unpack the varying ways our current societies cage us. The pacing takes a while to find its rhythm; however, the immersive and thought-provoking prose makes the memoir an exceptional and cathartic read.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: March 10, 2020

Synopsis

There is a voice of longing inside every woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good mothers, daughters, partners, employees, citizens, and friends. We believe all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives, relationships, and world, and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this?

Four years ago, Glennon Doyle, author, activist and humanitarian, wife and mother of three—was speaking at a conference when a woman entered the room. Glennon looked at her and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. Soon she realized that they came to her from within.

Glennon was finally hearing her own voice—the voice that had been silenced by decades of cultural conditioning, numbing addictions, and institutional allegiances. She vowed to never again abandon herself. She decided to build a life of her own—one based on her individual desire, intuition, and imagination. She would reclaim her true, untamed self.

Ending

HEA

Representation

• F/F main couple
• Author identities as queer

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Bulimia (started at 10 years old)
• Discussion of people (including children) dying of cancer
• Discussion of drug and alcohol addiction

Mature Themes

• Discussion of anxiety and depression
• Discussion of infidelity
• Discussion of abortion
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4.25-stars

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Engrossing and Bittersweet: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

November 5, 2020

E

Series: Standalone

Release Date: April 16, 2019

Synopsis

How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies?

In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they’re part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it’s clear the explosion wasn’t an accident.

A showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owners, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? Could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn’t safe?

Ending

Sad but HFN (as happy as it could’ve ended)

Representation

• Korean main characters
• Korean side characters
• POC side characters
• Autistic side-characters
• Side-character with cerebral palsy

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Violent and descriptive death of an 8-year-old boy and adult women (they were burned alive)
• Sexual assault
• Child abuse
• Suicide
• Discusses fears of what happens to special-needs children when their parents can no longer take care of them

Mature Themes

• Underage drinking and smoking
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Paperback

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Trigger Warning: This review discusses topics that can be triggering for some. Please read the ‘Possible Triggers’ tab above for details.

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Heartfelt and Forgiving: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

October 28, 2020

H

Series: Standalone

Release Date: April 25, 2019

Synopsis

This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.

Ending

HFN

Representation

• Lesbian main characters
• FF romance

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Suicide
• Suicide ideation
• Threat of gun violence

Mature Themes

• Hostage situation (that turns into a comedy of sorts)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Paperback

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

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Dramatic and Passionate: The Favor by Suzanne Wright

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

October 14, 2020

D

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 13, 2020

Synopsis

Vienna Stratton knew she only had herself to blame. You didn’t let yourself become indebted to a man like Dane Davenport, no matter how badly you needed his help. As his personal assistant, she was very aware that the globally successful CEO was ruthless and unforgiving.

Of course, if she’d known he’d request that she be his wife for twelve months, she’d have hesitated in accepting his help. Because what she’d learned from Dane was that the devil wasn’t ugly and terrorising. He was seductive and captivating. He hummed with whispers of temptation – the temptation to sin and surrender, to let him brand and possess you. He awakened every need and fantasy you had.

He could even make you love him.

Ending

HEA with Epilogue

Representation

• BIPOC supporting character
• Supporting character with dissociative identity disorder

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Parental abandonment
• Parental physical abuse of their child
• Inference of child sexual abuse
• Physical abuse and bullying by Foster Sister towards Heroine
• Blackmail
• Suicide of parent
• Death of parent due to cancer

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have LOADS of OW and OM
— One of the OW is currently the Hero’s sister-in-law, so you can imagine how that goes.
• Does have both the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

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Saccharine Yet Endearing: Heart Strings by Melanie Moreland

By Sarah

In 4-stars, ARC, Book Review

September 29, 2020

S

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 12, 2020

Synopsis:

A woman drowning in sorrow. Invisible.

A man that notices it all. Sees her.

The only thing that gets Charlotte Prescott through the day is the haunting eyes and magnetic voice uplifting her in the subway station every evening.

All Montgomery Logan wants to do is ease the pain of the woman he feels a strange, protective pull to. He serenades her from afar, knowing their worlds will never intersect.

Until the day they do.

And everything changes.

Will their differences make them stronger or tear them apart?

A standalone contemporary romance coming October 12, 2020 from NYT/USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie Moreland.

Ending:

HEA with Extended Epilogue

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Death of parent due to heart attack when a child
• Death of brother due to leukemia when a child
• Discussion of homelessness and starvation

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• No pushing away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: eARC

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Note: I received Heart Strings through Melanie Moreland’s team in exchange for an honest review.

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Category4-stars

Book Review: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Book Review: When He’s An Alpha by Suzanne Wright

Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Poignant and Impassioned: My Saving Grace by Melanie Moreland

Magical and Entrancing: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Vulnerable and Cathartic: Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Engrossing and Bittersweet: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Heartfelt and Forgiving: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Dramatic and Passionate: The Favor by Suzanne Wright

Saccharine Yet Endearing: Heart Strings by Melanie Moreland

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