a broke reader

📖: Water Moon II ✍️: Samatha Sotto Yambao II ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Water Moon is a whimsical and magical adventure that feels like stepping into a Studio Ghibli film or a beautifully animated anime. From the very first page, the story plays out vividly in my mind—each scene unfolding with the same dreamlike wonder and emotional depth as Spirited Away or The Cat Returns. The novel carries me into a world where rain puddles lead to secret realms, paper cranes soar with hidden meaning, and a night market floats in the clouds. It’s a story that feels at once nostalgic and fresh, filled with quiet magic that lingers long after the final page.

One of the most captivating aspects of Water Moon is its writing. SSY prose is poetic in a way that makes the ordinary feel extraordinary. I found myself highlighting so many lines, not just for their beauty but for how they transformed mundane moments into something profound. There’s a lyrical quality to the way she describes simple things—the glow of lanterns, the scent of rain, the hush of a forgotten street—that I could never put into words myself. It’s the kind of writing that makes you pause just to soak in the imagery.

Mile High ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

I get the hype with this book. It's a pretty solid hockey romance which also includes discussion about body shaming or just being confident about your body (which pretty much hit me home), setting boundaries even if they’re your family, self-doubt and dealing with insecurity. There are some scenes that are really relatable. I relate so much with Stevie. One of my biggest takeaways from her is that if the people around you make you feel less, and bring your self-confidence down and abuse you verbally no matter how unintentional it is, it is okay to distance yourself from them no matter how much we love them, even if they are your family. This banter in this book is top notch and there is undeniable chemistry between the two main characters. My only problem is that it is TOO LONG! Some things are repetitive and could have been cut shorter.

The Right Move ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love this 2nd book in her Windy City series. It has one of the BEST and I mean top tier book boyfriend's of all time. Ryan Shay is the standard so far. He's so good. His quiet love for Indy is the loudest I've ever seen. Aside from romance it also has my favorite tropes of found family, forced proximity and fake dating & the spice? It's serving. This is definitely one of my favorite romance novels.

Caught Up 🌟🌟🌟🌟.75

📖Throttled ✍Lauren Asher 3.5/5🌟 This book is okay. The storytelling is okay. Not so familiar with F1 but I enjoyed reading about the characters and this universe. It doesn't have the most exciting plot but it's entertaining nonetheless. 

📖By a Thread ✍Lucy Score 3/5🌟 An okay-ish read that has so many issues. The main characters who are supposed to be 39 and 44 years old who act as if they are in their 20’s. Why make your characters older if you’re just going to make them act like they are barely out of puberty. This is too long, has a lot of unnecessary details that should’ve been replaced with a little bit of backstory about our hero and heroine. Everything seems so convenient.

📖: You Had Me at Hola ✍: Alexis Daria 4/5🌟 I liked this more than I thought I should. The story and premise are not unique and I was worried at first that it would be too cheesy or dramatic or over the top like the telenovelas that I know but this is surprisingly adorable. I like how the relationship between Jasmine and Ashton wasn’t instant and it really took some time for their attraction with each other to grow. The side characters are also very likable. I also like the emphasis on family. Overall, this is entertaining , cute and sweet. The book cover would’ve earned 5 stars though

📖: So We Meet Again ✍: Suzanne Park 3/5🌟 This is a passable reading experience. I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it either. Though, I enjoy how the Korean-American depiction highlights the cuisine and culture and how it plays a significant role in the plot. The romance between Jessie and Daniel, I believe, is simply a subplot of the story, which concentrates on discovering yourself, pursuing your passion, and the challenge of beginning your own business. I almost DNF this because I found it difficult to connect with the tale and the characters; while some features and events are quite real, it didn't hit all of my soft spots completely for me to be truly committed. I really enjoyed how the narrative handled sexism and misogyny in the workplace. The pacing was a bit slow but it's still a decent and enjoyable reading experience.

📖: The Dachshund Wears Prada ✍: Stefanie London 4.5/5🌟 This is so adorable. How the backstories of the main characters were told and their character development is something that I really love. The ending was perfect for the story. The writing style and way of storytelling is something that I really like, it's so easy to get through you will feel like you are part of their universe and you are with them. Camilla, my fur diva, your stubbornness and saltiness is adorable. I really enjoyed reading this, it's fun and it feels like you’ve been transported toNew York City. 

Holiday romance novels I binge read before the year 2022 ended

📖: Tis the Season for Revenge ✍: Morgan Elizabeth 3/5🌟 This book is like Legally Blonde if Elle Woods has mom and daddy issues. This isn’t so bad. I just doesnt find the christmassy vibe that I'm looking for in a holiday romance. Some lines and scenes are too cheesy. I hate that I'm already at the 18% of the story until they meet. And Christmas was mentioned just 50 times and this book is way too steamy for a holiday romance. This aint bad. Just not my cup of tea.

📖: A Cross-country Christmas ✍: Courtney Walsh 4.5/5🌟 This book is so wholesome. I enjoyed the banters and the lightness of some scenes. I don't like how rude our heroine is at our hero in the beginning but she kind of redeems herself in the middle. There is a particular scene in the last part that got me teary eyed because it felt so raw and emotional for Lauren. Overall, this book is a perfect holiday read. It's light, funny, heartwarming and has a guaranteed happy ending. 

📖: Faking Under the Mistletoe ✍: Ashley Shepherd 4/5🌟 This book is like Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not dating meets The Hating Game on a Christmas setting. Olivia’s enthusiastic love for Christmas and everything cheery is something that I really like. Asher is your classic grump hero with a soft side reserved for our heroine and his niece which is adorable. The first half of the book is so funny and some of the scenes are a bit exaggerated and unrealistic for me but I'm all for it because it's fun to read. The second half though was a bit of a downer. It mentions heavy and realistic topics like sexual assault, the #metoo movement, and familial pain and loss. The amount of misunderstanding and miscommunication in the second half was also frustrating and a bit repetitive but overall I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and still a perfect read for the holidays. 

Dear Aaron

4.25/5🌟

I love Mariana Zapata’s stories and this epistolary of hers is something that I really enjoy. I love her signature slow burn romance with a swoon worthy hero and kindhearted heroine. I love the emails/letter exchange and I just wish that the other half of the book is in a narrative style because I really love these two. I've been rooting for them from the very beginning because of their light and heartwarming story.

Under Locke

3.75/5🌟

📖: Indigo Ridge ✍: Devney Perry 4.5/5🌟

This book was just randomly picked and I didn't expect it to be that good but I find myself really enjoying this. The storytelling is great. The balance between the romance and the mystery is interesting. How the  author describes the small town of Montana is so good I can picture it perfectly in my head and the side characters are interesting too. Aside from Winslow and Griffin, my biggest takeaway from this story has to be how the people we've known our entire lives or those closest to us can also be the ones who betray and hurt us. 

📖: Archer's Voice ✍: Mia Sheridan 5/5🌟

One of the best books that I've read this year. It feels so raw and natural. The storytelling is beautiful and the world building is amazing. Bree and Archer's character developments is one of the best that I've read. This book gives me a 'Nicholas Sparks Romance vibe' from the story, the small town setting and the conflict. This book is super worth reading.

📖: A Not So Meet Cute ✍: Meghan Quinn 5/5🌟

📖: Twisted Games 4.25/5🌟

 I enjoyed this book. It has the best conflict in the entire twisted series and the resolution (though a bit cliche) is oddly satisfying. There's a particular scene that I don't like, it's degrading and I'm not a really huge fan of that 'kind' of act but overall this book is a fine read. It took me a while to feel the chemistry between Rhys and Bridgette. I don't really see/feel them becoming a couple in the first few chapters because the build-up is too slow but as I go on I started to root for them. 

📖: Twisted Hate 4/5 🌟

This book screams 'enemies to lovers' and the spiciest in the series. I'm not big on the friends-with-benefits trope. That's why I'm a bit skeptical while reading this because I didn't think that I would like it enough to actually finish this story. But surprisingly I enjoyed it enough to stay until the end. Josh is unlike the first 2 heroes in this series. He's not grumpy and broody which is nice. I wish I had Jules' spirit. There's a scene after the confrontation that doesn't sit well with me. I think the author did it a little bit dirty. And the way Jules forgave Josh that easily is head scratching. I wish he would grovel a little bit more. 

📖: Twisted Lies 5/5 🌟

📖: Heroes of Olympus Series ✍: Rick Riordan Rating: 4.75/5🌟

📖: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series ✍: Rick Riordan Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

📖: Lease on Love ✍: Falon Ballard Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I honestly enjoyed reading this book. I remember smiling at some scenes that are witty, sweet and heartwarming. It was a little slow but  I didn't mind because I'm a sucker for slow burn and that is one of the strengths of this book. Sadie's circle of friends also earned brownie points on how they support each other. Harley, Gemma and Nick are one of the best fictional friends that I’ve ever read. Their group chat was chaotic and I loved it. Sadie and Jack’s struggle with giving each other nickname is so cute. My only issue why I have not given this 5 stars is the conflict at the end. The way Sadie reacted to it was not the type of reaction I was hoping and the way it was tied up was a little rushed.

📖: By Any Other Name ✍: Lauren Kate Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.75

I was skeptical when I picked up this book because I didn't really enjoy the Fallen series (though I only read the first book and didn’t bother to read the succeeding books). This book started so slow and to be honest i think there are parts in the beginning of the book that are unnecessary, the story will still go through without them. I’m almost halfway through when I started to officially like and enjoy this book. I just wish Lanie and Noah’s story started a few chapters early so that they will have more page time together. 

📖: The Royals Next Door ✍: Karina Halle Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5