It has been a long time since my last Netgalley post, but I am still on a mission to raise my Netgalley ratio! In the last couple of months, I have reviewed some more recent ARCS in their own separate blog posts (check out a list of my reviews here), but I have also been attempting to complete my backlist!
I made myself a promise to not request ANY other books until I get my percentage over 85%. Because of this, I decided to challenge myself this year. As part of my 2024 Netgalley Challenge (where I am attempting to reduce the number of unread ARCS to 10), I read four of my e-ARCS in February! However… I also broke my promise and requested some books – whoops 🙈
Before I get to the reviews, I want to say a HUGE thank you to Netgalley and the publishers of these books for giving me a chance to do what I love and read books. I am forever grateful I have the opportunity to do what I love and find some great books for both my students and fellow book lovers.
How You Get the Girl – Anita Kelly
The first Netgalley ARC I read this month was Anita Kelly’s latest release. This was my second book from this author, and besides a few complaints, I really enjoyed it!
Check out my full thoughts in the separate review I posted here!
3.5/5 Stars
It Has to Be You – Dani McLean
I originally started to read this book over a year ago, and I was not really in the mood to finish it. I’m a big mood reader, so I figured I would just take a break and finish it another time. This past month, I finally decided to give it another go, and again, I got to the halfway point and could not bring myself to continue it. My biggest issue at the halfway point was that it felt like there was no more surprise. I read a lot of romances, so I understand that the couple is going to end up together, but at the same time, I want some tension! Sadly, there was no tension at all. I knew as soon as we found out that her “soulmate” had a girlfriend and was actually a terrible person that there was no chance at all. However, for some reason, Indy did not figure this out right away because she was convinced he was her “Destiny.”
I did want to see how it ended, so I forced myself to keep going. Things picked up a little more after the 70%, and I found myself enjoying the romance a little more. I didn’t vibe with most of the book, but I really enjoyed the chemistry between Indy and Ethan. They seemed like they would work very well together as a couple, even in real life. While I wish there was a little bit more plot between the two of them, they definitely were well-developed characters.
2.5/5 Stars
Let’s Get Quizzical – Kelly Ohlert
I love game shows, which is part of the reason this book initially stuck out to me. The main character who grew up watching the Game Network with her grandma? That was also me. So I was extremely disappointed when I realized I was going to like this book. Something I did enjoy the fun facts sprinkled throughout the book. A few of the facts felt a little random, but most of them connected to whatever was going on at the time.
Sadly, the one thing I could not get past was something that came up multiple times. I hated that the main character let something that happened 12 years ago (when they were in high school) affect all of her decisions with Eli. I’ve been out of high school for 10 years now (oh wow), and I know I am a completely different person than I was then. Maybe it’s just a me thing, but it made it so much harder to root for them as a couple because it felt doomed from the beginning.
2/5 Stars
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna – Alda P. Dobbs
Amazon | Goodreads
It was interesting to learn about this time-period in Mexico. As a middle-grade novel, it’s the perfect opportunity for younger kids to explore a culture that’s not their own. The main character, Petra Luna, was crafted so well. There were times I had to remind myself she was only 12 years old because she goes through so much. The one thing that was always prevalent was the love she had for her family. It was heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking) to see how much she valued her family’s safety. Throughout the story, her dreams of an education and safety for her family made me realize many of us take those things for granted.
And don’t let the ‘middle-grade novel’ tag fool you. This book will pull at your heartstrings. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, but it was such an important and impactful story.
5/5 Stars
Phew – that’s it! After reading these books (and a few graphic novels for another upcoming post), my Netgalley review ratio is currently at 67%! It is still my goal to get to 80% by the end of the year, even with the new books I have requested, but I am definitely happy with the progress I’ve made!
If you’re a Netgalley user, let me know your current ratio (no shame here, I was at 30% for a VERY long time) and give me your favorite tips in the comments!
Until next time.