BookTok got to me again…
Everybody went through their Quarantine book phase back in 2020, but mine never quite left. Well, it might have faltered a little during the school year, but I always get hooked again during breaks. Here are my reviews and ratings of books that I read during this past month long break:
People We meet on vacation – emily henry
/5
My first ever Emily Henry book. This has been living on my shelf for about 3 years and finally, some BookTok video had convinced me to pick it up. I’ve heard a lot of mixed feelings about Emily Henry’s books — it’s either a hit or miss for people. This one specifically? A total hit for me. There were definitely instances where I cringed a little, but I just could not put the book down. I finished it in one night and I have never been more grateful that I stayed up. The characters have their own little quirks and flaws, but the way their relationship grows and builds throughout the book was so perfect and well-timed.
FYI! People We Meet on Vacation is ALSO becoming a movie adaptation on Netflix, starring Emily Bader (from My Lady Jane — which I absolutely loved and definitely recommend) and Tom Blythe. Great casting, IMO, I feel like they would capture the essence of the characters wonderfully.
the love hypothesis – ali hazelwood
/5
I feel like I went into this book with A LOT of high expectations. Perhaps too many of them. It was hyped up on BookTok when it began circulating. I started this a few years back, and decided that the extensive amount of free time I had over break was the reason I should suck it up and finish it. Needless to say, I did not fall in love with it.
I thought the STEM aspect of this book was so cool, especially with how academically driven the characters were, but it just fell flat to me. Some plot points were so predictable and even a little cringe.
All in all, I wish I liked this book more, but it was just a tad boring. I genuinely had to drag it out of myself to complete it because I didn’t want to leave another book unfinished.
finale (Caraval #3) – Stephanie Garber
/5
FINALLY! I have completed the series. I started the Caraval series in 2022, so perhaps my pea brain might’ve completely forgotten the entire plot.. and in turn, caused me to NOT enjoy this book as much. HOWEVER, in my defense, if it was truly a good book, I think the plot would have been more memorable, regardless of how much time it has been.
The only part that was memorable for me was Book #1: Caraval, because of its intricate and unique plot. I feel as though it only got worse after that book, but BookTok doesn’t quite agree with me, as majority of the videos I’ve seen on there seem to LOVE Book #2: Legendary.
Although I felt quite bored for a few instances throughout the book, the second half really picked up — and that’s when I found myself glued to this book and needing to find out what happened and how this series was going to end.
I hope this doesn’t find you – Ann Liang
/5
I needed a break from the fantasy. I needed a cute little feel-good YA novel. And this was it.
I found it on a spur-of-the-moment scroll on Tiktok, trying to find something that fit the exact mood of what I was searching for.
I finished this in 3 hours. I don’t think I even moved from my spot in bed throughout this entire book. Immediately after it ended, I wished that I could read it for the first time again. I went through 5 different emotions within a few short chapters in this book. The pacing was just so well done that! I love when there are wonderfully short, yet concise and detailed chapters that make it feel as though you’re speeding through life with them.
I HOPE this book finds you, because the yearning and the pining in this book just HITS different!!
Bonus points: This book has two Asian main characters who are well-written and represented! (unlike Jenny Han & her obsession with Wasian couples in every book/movie…)
Once upon a broken heart (OUABH #1) –
Stephanie Garber
/5
I might get hated on for this… but this was not that great. I understand it’s necessary to start off a little slow for the world building, BUT it dragged on for too much.
The plot was DEFINITELY there. I loved the entire premise of it, but I don’t think it was translated in the best way. The pacing of the story was a little all over the place for me, sometimes too slow and sometimes so fast that I didn’t even know what was going on. But perhaps that was what made it so interesting. There were instances where I was bored out of my mind and instances where I was so invested in what was going on.
It was fine, but in my opinion, this whole book felt as if we were searching and searching for answers the whole time and got absolutely nowhere. Once Upon A Broken Heart just seemed as though it was bit of a prequel leading up to the real story in the following books (and I still feel the same way after having read the rest of the series).
the ballad of never after (OUABH #2) –
Stephanie Garber
/5
My immediate reaction after finishing this book: UMM WTF?
Absolute shock. Absolute rollercoaster of a journey. I was in disbelief. And so I frantically began the next book.
This book felt as though I had been put into a hamster ball and thrown around a gigantic room. Everything hit like a truck and yet I kept wanting to keep going. I needed to keep going and to see what happened. Garber’s writing in this book, specifically, worked so intricately and personally that it made you feel like you were there, spiraling with the characters, going through everything that they felt and thought.
The build up was perfect this time. The more I read, the more I found myself loving the characters, each in their own unique way. Sometimes, I’d hate them too, but what kind of main character character isn’t a little messy?
a curse for true love (OUABH #3) –
Stephanie Garber
/5
I think my favorite thing about this book was how it contains a new and interesting plot that differs so much from the last one, but it is able to connect to it and keep the magic real. We are following the same characters, but things have changed so much.
I love when books in a series are able to keep the excitement and the curiosity going with the same characters. When it’s not done well, it feels like it’s being dragged out, but this was written in a way that feels like you’re genuinely there growing with them, following them on their journey, and rooting for them!!
A wonderful ending to a great series. Things were solved, things were left unsolved. The best kind of writing that leaves readers happy, but keeps them wondering. The kind of writing that stays on your mind.
binding 13 (Boys of tommen #1) – Chloe
Walsh
.75/5
What’s the hype with this series?
The Boys of Tommen. Binding 13. Etc. Etc.
As of now, this is ALL I see on BookTok. It genuinely confused me, because no way a book series is THAT good. I decided to see for myself.
My verdict: it’s alright. I read this on the Kindle, so best believe when I saw 900 pages, I was baffled. And then I went to the bookstore and saw the physical THICKNESS of this book. Unbelievable. If it’s this long, it better be so amazingly life-changing. But it WASN’T!
Yes, the plot was there. Yes, the characters were somewhat nicely built up. But it did not have that “umph” that I was looking for. And I feel like I’m fairly easy to please when it comes to teenage/YA novels. The premise of the book and the character development could have been achieved in less pages. If this was more condensed, I might have even liked it more. Most of the chapters were unnecessary and barely added to the plot. The book could’ve done without them and the reader would still be receiving the same message.
Throughout it, I felt as though I was getting deja vu, because so many of the major scenes that occured kept repetitively happening throughout and in such a similar way that I started getting bored. Not too bored though, I did enjoy it enough to give it 3.75 stars.
I have now started the second book in the series, so hopefully, my opinions will only go up from here.
Finally…
Please take my opinions and reviews with a grain of salt. Sometimes, I get overly passionate about some books, and other times, I check out while reading and completely forget everything. My ratings are simply based on how I feel immediately after I finished the book, so they could be subject to change over time (as my brain develops or as I realize how much weird stuff truly happened in the book).
Here’s to the new year and more reading! Thank you to BookTok and friends for fueling my addiction for escaping reality through books.