shanaepraystoo's reviews
871 reviews

A Charming Proposition by Mya

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funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Book 3 of May’s Love Infusion series titled A Charming Proposition is just as good as the other books in the series. I found the book engaging, entertaining and funny. I recommend this book to any Mya fans, those who like short series, and cozy romances. 
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B+J: The Teachers of Hardwood High by Nina High

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funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really enjoyed B+J: The Teachers of Hardwood High and I think Nina High is getting better with every book release. I love the MMC Ben and the way he worked to earn the FMC Janae’s affection. These characters felt real and their interactions were genuine and relatable. The characters are diverse, the chemistry jumps off the page, and the ending was perfect. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Nina High, she’s one of my favorite new writers. l recommend B+J: The Teachers of Hardwood High to anyone looking for a quick, cozy read with funny characters.
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Krash & Bern by Mya

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Made it to 30% with no investment in the characters. Marking as DNF to avoid a reading slump. 
Beautiful Harmonies by Monica Walters

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fast-paced

2.5

Average with stereotypical, underdeveloped characters. I didn’t feel any connection between the FMC or the MMC. I hated the sister’s name and the secondary characters. There’s this unnecessary situation where the FMC’s bodyguard is actually a weirdo predator who is connected to the MMC’s absentee father. Why didn’t the author do more character development here? The MMC is an immature sex-obsessed 20-something year old? How when he had to grow up fast and care for his teenage sister after his mother died? The author could have given us a dynamic character but instead relied on old anti-Black stereotypes, while the FMC is stuck somewhere between being a virgin boss babe baddie. 

The author reiterates her note about realistic characters at the end of the book as if that’s some explanation for this story that just isn’t well written in my opinion. 

And the worst part is the way the author deals with the issue of sexual assault — there’s victim blaming from both main characters, there’s one line about the victim going to therapy, and the dialogue about the sexual assault is bookended, multiple times, by the MMC’s sexual interest in the FMC. 

I do not recommend this book.
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X+E: The Teachers of Hardwood High by Nina High

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Cozy, drama free, and well-written, X + E: The Teachers of Hardwood High (Book 1) is a reminder of why I enjoy Nina High’s books. Her characters are well written, funny, and relatable. Plus there’s the right amount of spice. I loved this “later-in-life” romance story. It gave me all the good feels and I was happy with the ending. I cannot wait to read book 2. 
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Losin' Control by Ladii Nesha

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Losin Control is my second read from the author Ladii Nesha and I honestly cannot believe how amazing this book is. Ladii Nesha is a phenomenal writer and an amazing storyteller. She knows how to write complex characters in such a relatable way. The FMC Marley and the MMC Czar are two dynamic characters battling serious issues, but the secondary characters, like Marley's sister Harper and Czar's mother Ada, are so intriguing that I completely forgot that Losin Control is a slow burn!

Pros:
  1. The sibling relationships between Marley and her sister Harper as well as the one between Czar, Romeo, and Nova are loving and caring - this is what I want to see more of in urban literature, especially.
  2. Czar's troubled childhood is handled with supreme care and his method of coping is natural and expect for a man like him, even if it is somewhat unhealthy. 
  3. The secondary characters in the book are all well developed and interesting
  4. The twists and turns come out of nowhere, keeping you on your toes. Though I read a lot of books, I definitely thought Losin Control was going in one direction, but Ladii Nesha does a good job at making unexpected twists. 
  5. I loved the ending. 

Cons:
  1.  The author's choice
    to not reveal that Pam had spoken with Benny
  2. The fact that Benny
    wasn't really dead
  3. The way
    Czar played Marley in front of thousands of people at his concert
    , or
  4. I liked how strong Marley was presented in the beginning and middle of the book, though she had endured serious trauma, but when I saw how weak she was in relationships, it really disappointed me,
    especially considering her attitude towards her mother.
     
  5. I thought the ending was rushed. 

All in all, Losin Control is one of my favorite reads of the year and I'll definitely be recommending it to everyone. If you're a fan of slow burns, can appreciate a thought provoking story with character growth over a period of natural ups and downs, and appreciate a book that will take you on a rollercoaster over emotions, then you HAVE to read Losin Control. 

Spice Rating: 3 stars - there are few spicy scenes, but the ones that are in the book are vivid. 
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Surrender by Kimberly Brown

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Surrender by Kimberly Brown is a cozy romance story with 2 characters that you want the absolute best for. The MMC Jacob Mitchell is a children's author and illustrator, while the FMC Kechelle Lewis is a dentist - it's fun to read about regular characters, especially when there are so many billionaire stories these days. I don't read many romance novels with the arranged marriage trope, like Surrender, so I am not an expert on it, but I think Kimberly Brown did a great job with it. At the center of Surrender you have two great people who revert to an unconventional, yet traditional method to find love and their struggle to navigate this newfound relationship and attraction to one another. But beyond that, there's a story about each family's struggles with the union of our main characters and how that impacts the couple's marriage as well as them individually. 

I really enjoyed Surrender and recommend it to anyone seeking a cozy story with no relationship drama and minimal spice. 
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Chasing Summer by D. Rose

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Another 5-star read from the supremely talented D. Rose. I think Chasing Summer is the best book I've ever read from the author...and I think i've said that every time I finish one of her books. In Chasing Summer we meet Ali and Soleil, they couldn't be more perfect for one another. Ali's everything that you want in a book bae and there's something about the way Soleil was raised by her grandmother that makes her someone you want to be friends with. I enjoyed all of the characters, though there is some drama and a little spice, it doesn't take over the book, at no point does D. Rose compromise storytelling for the sake of what's trendy in a lot of contemporary romance novels. Chasing Summer is for the lovers and is one of my top reads for the year. Such a well written, engaging, and fun love story with characters you'll definitely love. 
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Maybe I Need You : Undeniably In Love by Briyanna Michelle

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Maybe I Need You: Undeniably In Love by Briyanna Michelle is a cozy, quick and engaging fake dating romance story. I really liked the MMC, Graysen, he's definitely book bae material. The FMC Camille starts off just okay to me but through her relationship with the MMC, we really get to see her character grow and shine. I love the diversity of the characters, too. The author does a great job at building the connection between Graysen and Camille, despite the fast pace of the story and its shorter length. Briyanna Michelle did a great job with Maybe I Need You and I recommend it to anyone looking for a fast paced palate cleanser. Though this is my first book from Briyanna Michelle, I can say that I'd definitely read more books from her in the future based on Maybe I Need You: Undeniably In Love.
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99 Problems & Her Man The Main One by Na'Kia

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fast-paced

2.0

This was just terrible. Too many points of view, very poor character development.
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