Throwback Thursdays: I’m taking a look back at some of my reviews and discussion posts from the past to see if I still feel the same way about them now as I did then.
How does this work?
For each Throwback Thursday Post, I pick a particular blogging year to go back to. Within that year, I search through my old posts and pick 5 that I think are worth a look back at. Before I read my old reviews, I share my thoughts about what I remember. Then I summarize my original review and then I share my updated thoughts/comments.
I’d love it if you would share your thoughts as well with a comment below!
This month’s featured year is:
2014
What do I remember about my 2014 reading year?
Well 2014 was my first full YEAR of blogging, having started my blog in April 2013. I didn’t think I had ever done this in my blogging history but for most of 2014, I posted a new review EVERY DAY. I think that’s because I was still reading and creating content during my hiatus of Fall 2013, I just wasn’t posting. And so I had a bunch of reviews to release when I returned to blogging on a regular basis.
Throwback #1: Fixed Series by Laurelin Paige
Opening Thoughts: This is one of my all-time favourite contemporary romance series. It’s the gold standard for me that I compare all others to. I picked it up as a freebie and I’ve read every Laurelin Paige ever since!
Original Review Summary: I thought this was just going to be a knock-off of the Fifty Shades Trend but this series impressed me with its writing style, complex characters and addictive drama.
Throwback Reflection: I still love this series and its various spin-offs. (Slay is fanatastic!) I recommend it to everyone, even years later!
Worth a Reread?: Yes!
Throwback #2: The Lovegrove Legacy Series by Alyxandra
Opening Thoughts: I always remember this series as the one that got canceled before its prime. The Whisper Witch (or Whispers of the Dead as it was called when I read it) was such a great read and ended on a huge cliffhanger…only for the publisher never to pick up the 3rd book for publication. Thankfully, Alyxandra Harvey self-published a novella to quickly wrap things up but it just wasn’t the same as a full book.
Original Review Summary: While I’m not normally a fan of witch novels, this one won me over with its fun cast of characters. I noted that sometimes the details would be a little much and I would lose focus. The second book had better pacing, likely because as a reader you were familiar with the world.
Throwback Reflection: I really wish we would have gotten to see the full potential of this series with a full length finale. I think this series shows us readers the power of buying and promoting titles we love and how that can influence publication of future titles.
Worth a Reread?: No – unless a full length finale is ever published!
Throwback #3: Pushing the Limits Series by Katie McGarry
Opening Thoughts: I think this was one of the first truly angsty YA novels I ever read. Everything up until that point seemed so light and fluffy and Pushing the Limits was far from that. It had teen characters suffering from mental health issues as well as sexual content–something I really hadn’t seen much of in YA novels at the time.
Original Review Summary: This series is one of those that straddles the New Adult — Young Adult line. Because they are in high school, I would tend to classify it as Young Adult but the subject mature is very mature and so are the characters so I don’t have a problem calling it New Adult. I loved the maturity of all the characters we meet and I really connected with their stories. It is the perfect blend of character driven romance.
Throwback Reflection: This series made Katie McGarry a must-read author for me. I would wait all year for these books to be released so I could read them. It’s still a series I recommend those who are looking to try the New Adult genre pick up because it straddles the line between YA and NA so easily.
Worth a Reread?: Yes!
Throwback #4: Peaches Monroe Series by Mimi Strong
Opening Thoughts: I remember being really excited to read this book when I first picked it up for free on Amazon. I thought it would be a funny and light contemporary romance.
Original Review Summary: Have you ever read a book and then looked at the reviews for said book and go “did I read the same thing?”. That was me with this book. It had so many great reviews that I thought I must be the delusional one for not enjoying it! The characters were so horrible in this and the humour was completely lost to me. I ended up DNFing it before I reached page 50.
Throwback Reflection: Yeah, I’m pretty sure I deleted this book from my Kindle after I stopped reading it before Chapter 5.
Worth a Reread?: No.
Throwback #5: Across the Universe Series by Beth Revis
Opening Thoughts: I LOVED this series! It’s another gold standard for me, only this time its for YA Science Fiction. I adored the suspense of the first novel and had never read anything like it before.
Original Review Summary: Despite a slow start in Book #1, I soon became addicted to the story and mystery of the Godspeed. There were so many great twists along the way! I also liked how the romance was there but not a huge focus, enhancing the story but not distracting from it either.
Throwback Reflection: While I don’t remember the finer points of the plot, I do remember not putting these books down when I got them.
Worth a Reread?: Yes!
Agree to Disagree?
Did you love (or love to hate) any of these reads? Share your thoughts on my throwbacks below!
