West Side Love Story book review read in February 2023

 Title: West side love story

Author: Priscilla Oliveras

Number of pages: 331 pages

Genre: Adult/Romance/Contemporary/Fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marianna and her sisters intend on not only giving their all in the battle of the mariachi bands. With the winning money they can help save Casa Capuleta. Which meant going up against Hugo Monteros group. Mariana knew to stay clear of them after what happened between Papo and Hugo so many years ago. When Marianna meets Angelo and realizes he is the same guy she had kissed at a New Years party, she tries with all her might to keep away from him, but Angelo didn't care what his uncle thought and kept trying to get closer to Marianna, soon she found herself falling in love with him and couldn't stay away from him realizing his kindness and modesty. As their romance grows stronger, and being caught up in rivalries, and broken ties, they try hard to keep the peace. Will their love for each other get in the way of the competition? Or bring more trouble for their family? Find out for yourself in this great read! I absolutely loved this book! It's became one of my favorites. A more modern Hispanic version of Romeo and Juliet with a twist of West side story without completely ruining it or making it cheesy. It had a hint of spice to it as well! Very family oriented, I loved the sisters relationship and how much they support each other, I loved the family vibes, all in all I loved this book, and most definitely recommend this book! 

Pros: Well written, family oriented hint of spice!

Cons: Its such a fast read!

Recommended to: Those who are fans of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. Anyone looking for a good romance.

As Old as Time book review read January 2023

Title: As old as time

Author: Liz Braswell

Number of pages: 484

Genre: Young adult/fiction/fantasy/fairy tale

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

What if Belles mother was the one who cursed the beast? In this twisted tale where we read between Belle's present and her parents past, we learn that long ago there was a kingdom that homed both humans and mythical creatures of all kinds, but the humans were scared of the creatures seeing the things they can easily do with a wave of a wand or hand, scared of what these creatures could do to them. All except for Marice wasn't afraid of them, he understood them, and felt bad for them being treated so poorly. And one enchantress named Roselind caught his eyes when she used her magic to defend herself. Soon they are married and are expecting their first child, but it's not happily ever after for them when slowly the creatures began to disappear. Things take a turn for the worse when Roselind's friend who was to help with the birth of their daughter has gone missing without a sign, as more and more creatures go missing Roselind and Maurice are left with no choice but to leave their home for the safety of their little family. So you get the whole small village thing with the same people Belle trading herself for her father bit which remained the same, the whole curse thing, but as it gets to the part where she's in her room, that's where things start to take twists and turns for the story we know. I really wanted to love this book, but it wasn't what I expected, I wouldn't say the story is bad, I did enjoy it, I just think it's more along the lines of what I kept thinking would happen just kind of didn't so it may just be me, 😅 I get that this is a twisted tale and it's supposed to be different but it's TOO different, it just didn't give me Beauty and The beast vibes. I also hated the ending, I expected it to have the same outcome as the end of them movie, it was well thought out, but just wasn't it for me.

Pros: Well thought out.

Cons: Didn't have Beauty and The Beast vibes.

Recommended to: Disney fans and those who like twisted tales.

Conceal don't feel book review read January 2023

Title: Conceal don't feel

Author: Jen Calonita

Number of pages: 312

Genre: Young adult/retelling/fantasy/fairy tales/fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?  Elsa grew up learning how to be queen in her castle in Arendel, with her parents by her side all the way everything seems perfect, but Elsa feels like something is missing, or maybe someone. She always felt lonely and longed for sibling, maybe even a sister, even though she knows her mother couldn't have any more children after Elsa making her the only child. But after her parents had passed away on a trip overseas her pain forced a power out of her body, she didn't know she had, the power of ice. While preparing for her coronation and trying to keep her powers hidden from those around her, she begins to have flash backs of memories that couldn't have happened, baking cookies and building snowmen with a girl just a few years younger than her. After finding a painting in a box given to her by her father, all the answers Elsa needed come to light and she sets out to find someone she was made to forget a long time ago. Anna grew up in a small village by a couple who own a small bakery that's popular for their snowman cookies. As much as she loved her parents and the bakery, she felt like she was meant to do more, she wanted to travel down to Arendel and stay with her mother's friend and meet her daughter maybe even become friends with her, sadly her parents tell her to wait until she is eighteen to do so, saying she's just not ready, but when a strange and powerful snow storm hits the town in the middle of spring Ana decides she's the only one who can figure out what is going on and maybe how to stop it. With the help of a boy names Kristof and his reindeer Sven, they venture to find the princess of Arendel for help not knowing just what else they will find. I am a huge Disney fan so of course I really enjoyed this book, it's a fun twist on Frozen. I felt it was well written, makes sense, the ending is practically the same and I loved that. It did seem to drag just a bit at first, but not for very long. I found it to be a wonderful read and I highly recommend. 

Pros: Well written, makes sense.

Cons: Drags a bit at first

Recommended to: Disney fans, Frozen fans, and those who like twisted tales and fairy tales.

The Holiday Switch book review read in December 2022

Title: The Holiday Switch

Author: Tif Marcelo

Number Of Pages: 272

Genre: Young adult/romance/holiday/contemporary/fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lila loves her job at the bookstore in the Local Inn, which is a hot spot around the holidays because the movie Holiday by the lake was filmed there, it's also one of her favorite movies, but all Lila's ready for is her last winter break of high school. with intentions of saving up enough money for college, she was going to ask her boss if she can have extended hours gets but her plan gets foiled by her boss's nephew Teddy who came to stay for a while and also work at the bookstore while there. Upset but putting up with it, Lila has to train him the first few days which isn't an easy task for her because Teddy refuses to do things the way their meant to be, even if he always meant well. After accidentally switching their phones, they end up getting to know each other...and their secrets, which they promise each other they won't tell anyone. But when an unexpected storm hits, they start to share a bit more than just secrets. 💓This one was actually my second favorite, it's not as cheesy as the others, its more realistic, more relatable, has some great family values, not too dramatic. It's not too Hallmark if anything it's got more of a Disney channel movie vibe, and I used to love those, 😁 this is the book that actually inspired me to make my own book blog. The only thing I had a bit of a problem with was their secrets, I found them to be unrelatable, and just makes no sense and a bit to dramatized. All in all, I highly recommend!

Pros: Good read not too dramatic.

Cons: Their secrets don't seem realistic. 

Recommended to: Holiday and romance lovers.

 

Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist book review read in December 2022

Title: Nick and Noel's Christmas playlist

Author: Codi Hall

Number Of Pages: 286

Genre: Adult romance/holiday/fiction 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Nick is finally home from the military and all he wants to do is get his own place and settle down with his long-distance girlfriend Amber, but when he pays her a visit to tell her about his plans to have a future with her involving getting married and having kids together, instead of good news to tell his best friends Pike, Anthony, and Noel, he finds himself heading home with a box full of his stuff and CD's of songs he had put together for Amber and a broken heart. Seeing him mope around didn't seem like the best thing for him to his friends so they decided to push him to go out to the bar with them for a drink or two and just hang out in celebration of his return, when they see amber there with another guy, Noel takes Nick to the dance floor, feeling Amber eyes on them, jealousy painted on her face, they decide to put on a show for them and share a kiss. It was supposed to be an innocent kiss that meant nothing, but it sure felt like something to them. Now having to lie to everyone in town, because of that kiss, they pretend they are dating, which doesn't sit right with either of their ex's who keep trying to get their attention. Nick never expected to start falling for his best friend, Noel on the other hand had always hoped he would feel the same way she did, but when thing get a bit spicy Noel starts getting skeptical, worried about losing Nick, his family, Pike and Anthony if this all goes wrong. Can she open up and let Nick in? Or will she push him away too far to the point of no return? I really wanted to like this book, 😩 the characters are cute, and I do admire the friendship between Nick and Noel, I loved how his family treated Noel, I hated the whole feud between Noel and Amber, I thought it was stupid and childish, but I did understand it's a big part of the story. It had a nice amount of spice, but it was spice that led to nothing, 😑 left me super disappointed. I felt the whole fake boyfriend and girlfriend thing was cheesy and overused, 🙄I feel like there's so many books' movies shows and stories like this. It really dragged, there was also a lot of typos while I don't actually mind typos normally, this book had a lot more then I usually see, which made me kind of double back a bit. It also wasn't very Christmassy. Not what I expected. 

Pros: Mentions some pretty good songs

Cons: Drags, cheesy, too many typos

Recommended to: Any one into cheesy holiday romances.

 

 

The Best Christmas Ever book review read December 2022

Title: Tessa and Weston: The Best Christmas ever

Author: Abbie Emmons

Number of pages: 208

Genre: Romance/Holidays/young adult/fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tessa and Weston have been dating for a year now and with Christmas coming they want it to be perfect being their first together. But when Tessa's mother who had Tess at a very young age and gave her to her parents for a better life, she felt she couldn't give her at the time decides to come to stay for the holidays with a large suitcase and expectations to a bit longer than she usually does to spend more time with her daughter. Tessa thinking there's no reason she should do anything with her mom after never really being there, decides to avoid her at all costs to make sure nothing gets in her way of having the best Christmas with Weston. When Weston realizes what she's doing and tries to confront her about it after a date, the problem escalates when they both say thing's they didn't mean leaving the two of them worried that it would be their last conversation. Full of regret Tess actually takes advice from her mother while also rekindling their relationship and her finally understanding her mother's reasons she tells her its best if she went to see him and talked it out. Doing as her mother had advised her, she finds Weston and apologizing to him with hopes they can still have the best Christmas ever. This one was one of my favorites out of all the Christmas books I read this December. It's a bit more serious, more relatable, not too much sappy romance, not too much like a Hallmark movie I only have once complaint about it and that would be that it left me with some questions about two things that was just never explained, hence the four stars and not five. 😅 Maybe it wasn't important, but I was really curious.

Pros: Not too cheesy or too "Hallmark movieish"

Cons: Left me wondering about certain things. 

Recommended to: Christmas and romance fans.

 

All I want for Christmas book review read December 2022

Title: All I want for Christmas

Author: Wendy Loggia

Number of pages: 240

Genre: Teen and young adult romance/romantic comedy

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What would you do if you found yourself liking two guys at the same time? Bailey Briggs is ready for Christmas wearing her reindeer light up ears for work at Winslow's bookstore, excited for baking cookies, holiday music, and snowy sleigh rides! But what Bailey truly wants for Christmas is that special someone who she can share a kiss with under the mistletoe. When she meets a Charlie, a mysterious stranger with an attractive British accent while ice skating, she thinks she may just get her chance. But when she's at work one day Jacob comes in asking for help on gift she begins to start developing feelings for him, who all she ever thought of at first was being a player and a jock and also dating a girl she couldn't stand. It leaves her feeling as if being in a love triangle, figuring out which guy she really liked as she accepts their date invitations, and trying to decide who will be her mistletoe kiss. 💋 I've never actually read any books that have to do with the holidays, so I decided to just give it a try this year I wasn't too disappointed.   My biggest complaint is the ending, it was way too cheesy even for me, I won't say it was a bad ending just cheesy a bit unexpected. It was as cheesy or maybe worse in my opinion as a Hallmark movie! I know it does mention the whole concept of "the magic of Christmas" emphasis on the "magic" part. If it wasn't for that I'd have rated, it a five out of five.

Pro: Cute plot

Cons: Too Cheesy

Recommended to: Holiday and romance fans.