2 LOVEABLE ROMANCES & A LITERARY READ: Romance & Adult Fiction Mini Reviews

October 7, 2020October 3, 2020 fangirlfury6 Comments

I mentioned in September that mini reviews were slowly becoming my review style of choice, & the trend is definitely still continuing for me in October. I’m honestly trying to think of creative title ideas for these because I have a feeling I’m going to be posting them more than 2 times a month. This mini review round up includes two contemporary romances, one that I absolutely LOVED and another where the hype made me so happy to finally pick it up, and a literary fiction read.

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Kiss My Cupcake was the first book I’ve read by Helena Hunting, and wow, do I want more of them!! After reading some glowing reviews and me being the fan of books set in bakeries that I am, I had Kiss My Cupcake on my library holds list for a while and it came in towards the end of September. I wasn’t super in the mood for a romance, but I was in one of those moods where I knew I wanted to read but did’t know what to read. I decided to pick it up, and it was the best choice! Kiss My Cupcake totally surpassed my expectations and is among of my favorite contemporary romances of 2020.

Blaire has just opened up her own cupcake meets cocktails shop and is ready to prove to everyone that she has what it takes to be a successful business owner. Who’s getting in her way? Ronan, the plaid wearing ‘bad boy’ next door who owns the neighboring pub. As Blaire and Ronan go head-to-head in a competition to see who has the best restaurant spot in the Pacific Northwest, their chemistry grows more and more with every clash.

Kiss My Cupcake was just so charming and yes, funny. I feel like ‘rom-com’ gets thrown around so many times when describing contemporary romances, but this book truly put the biggest smile on my face (especially every time Ronan ate a cupcake). I loved nearly every confrontation and conversation between Ronan and Blair. Helena Hunting just completely nailed every expectation I had and every single part of the synopsis, from the hate to lovers romance to the setting especially! I could’ve spent all day reading about Blaire’s cupcakes meets cocktails cafe. I thought there was the right amount of time spent on not only Blaire and Ronan’s relationship, but also their businesses, their personal goals, and their family lives. Overall, Kiss My Cupcake is the type of contemporary romance that delivers on all its promises and more. Read More »

All The Right Mistakes by Laura Jamison Review

August 3, 2020August 2, 2020 fangirlfury1 Comment

Summary (from the publisher):

alr Five college friends have arrived at forty in very different circumstances, but with at least one thing in common: they are among the more privileged in society. Elizabeth and Sara are lawyers, Martha is a doctor, Carmen is a wealthy and well-educated homemaker, and Heather, the most successful, is a famous tech executive―and after more than two decades of friendship, they know one another better than anyone.

Then Heather writes a women’s advice book detailing the key life “mistakes” of her four friends―opting out, ramping off, giving half effort, and forgetting your fertility―that becomes wildly popular, and Elizabeth, Sara, Martha, and Carmen all feel the sting of Heather’s cruel words. Despite their status, these women face everyday obstacles, including work problems, parenting challenges, secondary infertility, racism, sexism, financial stress, and marital woes―and as they weather their fortieth year, each one can’t help but wonder if their life might have been different if they had followed Heather’s advice.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

Laura Jamison’s debut, All the Right Mistakes, was the first book I read while floating around the pool this summer – and it was the perfect choice! I’m always ready for any book about female friends from college, especially having been obsessed with Elizabeth Ames’ The Other’s Gold last summer.

Ever since their first move-in day at Dartmouth, Elizabeth, Sara, Martha, Carmen, and Heather have been best friends. Instead of bonding over sorority rushes and homework like they used to, the women are now more likely to talk about their struggles with work-life balance and motherhood over anything else, despite having found success in their own ways. But when Heather, a famous tech executive, publishes an advice book based on her friends’ ‘mistakes,’ the other four begin to question each other’s friendship and all the choices that they’ve made since.

YA CONTEMPORARY & HISTORICAL FICTION: July 2020 Mini Reviews

July 15, 2020July 12, 2020 fangirlfury4 Comments

My summer reading mood is definitely on, which means I have a lot of reviews coming! Today I’ll be talking about a few of my reads from June & July, focusing on some diverse YA contemporary and historical fiction.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

51VlHTCDDkL Elizabeth Acevedo has always been one of those authors whose books I’ve been meaning to read for what feels like forever. Everyone’s love and praise for her latest release, Clap When You Land, made me pick this one up ASAP – it was actually the first book that I’ve read on my Kindle! Written in verse, Clap When You Land is told from the perspectives of sisters Camino and Yahaira, who don’t know they’re sisters until the father dies in a tragic plane crash. I love YA books that highlight events that are often forgotten in public memory. I had never heard of flight AA587, so it was really interesting reading Elizabeth Acevedo’s inspired story.

The novel really works up to the moment to when Camino and Yahaira discover that they’re sisters, with the novel focusing on their individual grief over their father’s death, the struggles they experience at home, and both of their attempts to untangle the meaning of family. Camino and Yahaira experience drastically differently lives, Camino having grown up in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira in New York. While dual narratives can be hit or miss for me, I really appreciated having both sisters’ narration in Clap When You Land. Although their daily lives are very different, the girls do have a lot in common and it was interesting to read their different reactions to finding about one another. Throughout, the story maintains its focus on family and sisterhood. While yahaira does have a girlfriend, it was really refreshing to have a story that is truly about a pair of sisters and the family and secrets they share.Read More »

The Prediction Book Tag

April 1, 2020March 30, 2020 fangirlfury5 Comments

Let be honest- I really enjoy doing all kinds of book tags, but especially love ones that encourage me to talk about my TBR! The Prediction Tag is all about talking about our predictions about upcoming reads. I was nominated to do this really creative tag by Norees of No Reads Too Great. The Prediction Book Tag was created by Mandy and Sha of Book Princess Reviews.

THE RULES:

Pingback to the creator of the tag, @bookprincessreviews
Tag the person who tagged you
Find an answer to match each prompt
Have fun!

All of these prompts are your predictions for your…

Next Read

I have a TBR set for April but I’m not sure what book I’ll exactly pick up next. I’ve been on a Christina Lauren kick, so I know I’ll be reading Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating within the next two or three weeks.

Next 5 Star Read

I know I’m going to absolutely love Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams, the second book in The Bromance Book Club series. I’ve seen a lot of people say this sequel was even better than the first book and I loved one of its protagonists, Liv, in Bromance Book Club.

Next 1 Star Read

I rarely rate books 1 star because I usually DNF by then, but I think one book on my TBR that I might not exactly love or like is Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher. This is another one on my April TBR because of my deep dive into contemporary romance, but I’ve recently seen more and more meh reviews for this one. I’m definitely going to give it a chance because I’ve been in the mood for any type of contemporary lately.

Next Love Interest (or Character that Seems Really Cool to You)

I’m not sure if he’ll necessarily be a love interest, but I’m interested to see if Elle Kennedy’s The Play makes me reconsider my feelings about one of its protagonists, Hunter.

Next Book You’ll Be Buying

I’ve been buying more books than usual lately to help support the industry while my county library is closed. I think I’ll be buying You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle next!Read More »

Top Five Wednesday: Standalones I Wish Had Sequels

July 17, 2019July 12, 2019 fangirlfury3 Comments

Since Top Five Wednesday is on summer hiatus, today’s topic comes from July 2016, aka standalone books that I wish had sequels.

As a contemporary girl at heart, I am very used to standalones, even though I absolutely love a good contemporary series. Throughout genres, I think I am at a point where I do prefer standalones to series. However, there are just some characters and stories that I I just can’t simply let go after the final page. And all the fan art and bookish swag based on said book can’t fill my heart like a second book would.

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith- I’m not sure to what extent this counts as a sequel, but I really want a book about Hugo and his five brother and sisters. Yes, I realize that much of Hugo’s storyline in Field Notes on Love is learning what it’s like to be considered as an individual, not a sextuplet, but I’m too invested in Hugo’s siblings and their dynamic.

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker- One of the most bittersweet parts of many contemporary standalones (okay let’s be honest, basically any book) is not knowing what will happen to characters or couples after the ending. While I was pretty content with The Simple Wild’s ending, I am very interested in experiencing a certain couple’s future, specifically seeing where their lives will be together. Sorry for the vagueness, but trying to avoid spoilers as much as I can so everyone will pick this one up!

Catwoman:Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas- Although it’s technically part of the DC Icon series, Catwoman: Soulstealer is its own story. I just really enjoyed SJM’s take on Catwoman and despite that the book had a solid resolution, I wouldn’t mind another installment featuring Catwoman and Batwing.

ANOTHER SJM FAVE: Catwoman: Soulstealer Review

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

Summary (from the publisher):
When the Bat’s away, the Cat will play. It’s time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing’s undoing.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

I don’t want to use the expression that I am trash for Sarah J. Maas’s books because I genuinely love her writing and stories. But frankly, I would read her grocery list! Still have to love The Fault in Our Stars for giving us readers that line. Anyway, while I am not the biggest DC extraordinaire- does absolutely loving Wonder Woman count?- I knew I needed to read one of my favorite author’s take on Catwoman and Gotham City. I also enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman: Warbringer and found myself heavily addicted to Marie Lu’s Batman: Nightwalker.

Catwoman: Soulstealer reminded me why I love Sarah J. Maas’s writing so much. From the novel’s start, I found myself invested in Selina’s story, living in the slums of Gotham City and trying to support her younger sister who has cystic fibrosis. I liked how the book takes the first two chapters to set this scene, before jumping into Selina’s transformation into socialite Holly Vanderhees and yes, Catwoman. The book quickly transfers from Selina with a East End gang, the Leopards, to her returning to Gotham as Holly. I thought I would want a few chapters dedicated to her training with the League of Assassins, but I loved Selina’s return to Gotham too much. SJM also did a nice job of flashing back to Selina’s training and true to her writing style, alludes to the real reason(s) for Selina’s return. And no worries, much like Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses, she saves a few bombshells for the end.

Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

October 19, 2018December 25, 2018 fangirlfury3 Comments

Summary: (From the publisher) It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down. (less)

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Movies I’ve Watched Recently: Inspired by From Twinkle, With Love

July 6, 2018June 30, 2018 fangirlfury3 Comments

After recently reading and enjoying Sandhya Menon’s latest novel, From Twinkle, With Love, it made me think about some of the movies that I’ve been watching lately. Since I don’t have as much time as I’d like to read during the school year, I use the summer to take a little bit of a break from TV & movie-watching to catch up on ALL the books. But this doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy having a Netflix marathon on a cloudy day or catching up on a TV show before bed. BECAUSE I DO!

From Twinkle, With Love follows aspiring filmmaker Twinkle Mehra who has plenty of stories and universes for people to see on screen. When fellow film geek Sahil Roy asks Twinkle to direct a movie for an upcoming arts festival, Twinkle jumps on the opportunity to not only put her moviemaking skills to the test, but to get closer to her longtime crush, Neil, who also happens to be Sahil’s twin brother. From Twinkle, With Love is largely told through Twinkle’s letters to her favorite female filmmakers and coincidentally, my latest movie watches have all been female-centered!

Little Women– Little Women is one of my most memorable childhood books, so when I saw the 1994 adaptation pop up on Netflix, I knew that it was fate telling me it was time for a rewatch! I just love this story so much—can I be Jo March when I grow up??—and I really like the cast in this adaptation. While Little Women takes place during the Civil War era, I love movies made in the ‘90s and it was fun seeing a young Winona Ryder and Kirsten Dunst on screen.

Marie Antoinette – Soon after watching Little Women, Marie Antoinette popped up on my recommended for you list on Netflix. I had never heard of this movie based on you guessed up, the Queen of France herself, who’s played by Kirsten Dunst. I admit that not a lot happens in this one, but I enjoyed seeing Kirsten play Antoinette and seeing how Antoinette’s life changed, living in French royalty and adjusting to their traditions and expectations. There’s a slight quirkiness that I really appreciated—for example, no one speaks in “old” language and there’s a lot of modern music throughout! It was also very cinematic with all of the amazing shots of Versailles and historical costumes.

Ocean’s Eight- Ocean’s Eight was one of my most anticipated movies of 2018 and being a big fan of Ocean’s Eleven, I’m happy to say that I loved Ocean’s Eight so much! If you love the heist side of things in Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, you will love this movie. The female cast was absolutely phenomenal (Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Rhianna, Mindy Kaling to name a few…) and like Ocean’s 11, I found myself asking HOW the entire time!! I also enjoyed the references to Ocean’s 11, and I still believe that Danny Ocean is not dead. Can this be an excuse to get a sequel with our female cast, please??

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From Twinkle, With Love Mini Review:

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

I read Sandhya Meon’s debut novel, When Dimple Met Rishi, last summer, and I knew that From Twinkle, With Love would be the perfect way to kick off summer.

However, I admit that especially in the beginning, I had trouble adjusting to the book’s format. I love Twinkle’s admiration of female filmmakers, but I think her narration without the letters would’ve allowed us to get the same sense of her voice. We also get Sahil’s POV from his text messages with his best friends. Even though I liked also getting some of Sahil’s voice, I also found myself confused trying to tell who was who in his text messages to Aaron and Skid.

Format aside, I really enjoyed this story and like When Dimple Met Rishi, Sandhya Menon gave us such unique and creative protagonists with Twinkle and Sahil. It was fun seeing their movie and romance come to life, and by the end, what reader doesn’t have a crush on Sahil?? I also loved getting to know Twinkle’s family alongside her Indian upbringing—if I started a Youtube channel, would Dadi also create three accounts just to subscribe to me??

I liked how social Twinkle becomes by the end of the book. However, the drama beforehand does feel quite high school. Although her best friend, Maddie, is often in the wrong and Twinkle recognizes her own faults eventually, I didn’t understand how Twinkle thought some of her actions and words were okay?? Listen to your moral compass, Sahil, please!

Overall, I enjoyed From Twinkle, With Love for its unique and fun story (which did keep me up late into the night to continue), and I’m definitely anticipating Sandhya’s When Ashish Met Sweetie.

Have you read From Twinkle, With Love? What movies have you watched lately? Share in the comments!

My Thursday at Book Expo 2018

June 5, 2018March 23, 2019 fangirlfury11 Comments

I, Haley of Fangirl Fury, fiercely loyal Hufflepuff, Pawnee Ranger, honorary member of the Terrasen Army, reader, blogger, and lover of ‘90s movies, am now officially a Book Expo slayer. In other words, 2018 marks the first year that I have ever attended Book Expo. Thanks to Booktube and many of your lovely blogs, Book Expo has always been my #1 bookish dream and I was beyond fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the convention this year. Today, I’ll be walking you through my first day at Book Expo, and my experience posts for Friday and Book Con will be coming to a Fangirl Fury near you soon. You can see my full haul from all four days here.

Held at the Javits Centers in New York City, I made my way into the convention’s Crystal Palace (aka main lobby) around 9:30. My first stop was at the Fierce Reads booth for a sampler of Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars. I’m usually not one for samplers, but like the Language of Thorns sampler, King of Scars was too beautiful to pass up!

My first stop on the show floor was at the Owlcrate booth, where I realized one of the differences between Book Expo and Book Con. At Book Con, the line for Owlcrate’s spin wheel giveaways can wrap through multiple passageways and often includes anywhere from a fifteen minute to an hour wait. When I got to Owlcrate at Book Expo, there were maybe 5 PEOPLE ahead of me in line for the spin wheel give away. I won a finished copy of Becky Albertalli’s The Upside of Unrequited, which I’m super excited to have because it’s my favorite Albertalli book and I had borrowed it from the library. After, I went back to Fierce Reads for a giveaway and received an ARC of Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu.

WHERE’S MY NEW BOOKSHELF? : Most Anticipated Summer 2018 Releases

May 25, 2018January 2, 2019 fangirlfury5 Comments

Summer calls for days spent by the pool and on the beach, catching on TV and movies, and of course, reading ALL the books. Especially some of the amazing new releases lined up for Summer 2018. The books below all come out from June through August, and I actually plan on reading all of them before summer’s end! And don’t mind me while I plan out my anticipated fall releases post– make sure you get some finger workouts in this season for all of that scrolling..

Save the Date by Morgan Matson (June 5)- Save the Date is hands-down my most anticipated release for this summer. I’ve grown to absolutely adore Morgan Matson’s books, and the fact that this book is about a wedding has me ready to read. This blogger LOVES Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings on TLC, and I’m loving this wedding books in June trend continue in 2018 (2017 gave us Sarah Dessen’s Once and For All). I’ve read Morgan Matson’s other books through the library, but I decided to preorder Save the Date because I know I’m going to love it and it has an awesome preorder campaign.