Contemporary-a-thon Round 6 Wrap Up

This readathon might have been my most successful ever! I also read so much last week that I burned myself out and actually stopped participating in this readathon a day early. I probably could have read one more thing but I was so over Contemporary books by the end that I just needed a break. Which is kinda weird since I loved almost everything that I read. I was also doing some other reading for reviews and my TBR so that probably played a lot into it. So onto the four books that I read and the one I DNF’d (eek).

New to you author

Rating: 3/5

This is just an ok book. I really liked the dystopian aspect of people receiving phone calls informing them they are going to die that day. However, I have learned over the years that I am the type of reader that prefers characters over story so for me to really enjoy a book I need that connection with characters. I didn’t hate these characters but I also didn’t really care for them. I would also have preferred this book to focus on the friendship between the two main characters and not force a romance on them.

Diverse book/Book with an illustrated cover

Rating: 4/5

This was such a great YA Contemporary. I will forever buy anything Elizabeth Acevedo writes because she has such a distinctive voice and tells such powerful stories. I loved the characters, all the food talk, the conflict and the hispanic & black culture that this book teaches the reader about. I wish we had seen more of Emoni as a teen mom and less of the romance that didn’t really bring much to the story.

Read a book with green on the cover/Backlist book

Rating: 4.5/5

OMG you guys! This book is actually set in my hometown! I was so shocked when I started reading and it was set in Sunnyvale. Wow, there are plenty of books set in the Bay Area but none that I have ever read in that particular city. Beyond that super exciting fact, I also really loved this story. The romance, the drama, the characters everything just worked for me. The only reason I didn’t give this book five stars is because I didn’t like how all the good drama and conflict was conveniently wrapped up in a few pages right at the end of the story. I don’t like when authors just brush off an ending like that but I’m giving it more of a pass then I would normally because I really loved the rest of the book. I just wish Hoang had skipped the epilogue, which wasn’t needed, and devoted some more time to writing a better ending.

Also, since this is set in my actual hometown I’m using it for my Romanceoploy roll for The Bar.

Read a beloved book by someone in the book community

Rating: 4.5/5

So many people love this book and it is for good reason. This was the fun, sexy small town romance I was wanting. I absolutely loved the main characters and their romance was so sweet and steamy. I am so excited that the author is writing more books in this world because I just need more from these characters and this world. I especially can’t wait for Georgie’s sister, Bethany’s book because she really stole every scene she was in. Also, Georgie’s brother, Stephen and his wife have a caveman like relationship and I’m interested to find out if Bailey can sway me to liking them, if they ever get their own book. I was so close to giving this five stars but I don’t like how Georgie had to have a makeover before people started to notice her and take her seriously. I’m sure there is a conversation to be had about how clothes affect our confidence and what not but that isn’t what seemed to happen here. Travis shouldn’t have had to see Georgie’s curves to get all territorial over her but he definitely treats her right once he has her.

DNF

There are some spoilers for this book below. This is the last book I’m going to talk about so you can just exit now if you don’t want to Also, this book is very highly rated on Goodreads so I am definitely in the minority with how I feel about it.

I made it to page 133 of this book before I just couldn’t take it any longer and had to DNF. I think for me I really struggle with Christina Lauren when they are writing younger characters. Last year I  DNF’d their YA book, The House. I also could not stand the main character, Macy and I just knew that what ever caused the riff between her and Elliot was going to be ridiculous and not worth her avoiding him for 11 years. Or however long it had been. Also, I’m not one to complain about cheating in a book because I don’t mind it if it brings drama and conflict to the story. In this book though, she is emotionally cheating on her fiancee to the point where she actively avoids having sex with him. Then she waits until they do have sex to tell him that she had dinner with her “ex first everything” and he basically says that it doesn’t bother him as long as they can keep having sex. I stopped reading after that because what is the actual point of bringing any of that into the story!?! It brings absolutely nothing since it is already extremely obvious that they don’t belong together.

~Cassie