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Crushing It
by
"Relatable, funny, and charming."
--Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood
In life, as in gaming, there's a way around every obstacle . . .
To pitch her new role-playing game at a European conference, developer Sierra Reid needs to overcome her terror of public speaking. What better practice than competing in a local bar's diary slam, regaling an audienc ...more
--Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood
In life, as in gaming, there's a way around every obstacle . . .
To pitch her new role-playing game at a European conference, developer Sierra Reid needs to overcome her terror of public speaking. What better practice than competing in a local bar's diary slam, regaling an audienc ...more
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Paperback, 336 pages
Published
June 30th 2020
by Kensington Publishing Corporation
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Ever since I heard about CRUSHING IT, I was dying to read it. I love reading romance novels about heroines in STEM fields and this one-- about a female game dev struggling with anxiety-- really spoke to me, as someone who also has anxiety and loves to play games. Late night Mario Kart tourneys? OH YES.
Sierra is the co-founder of a video game company and desperately wants to go to a German convention to promote the game that she helped bu ...more
Welcome to the gamers’ world: with well-developed, unique, sweet, extraordinarily quirky, dorky, geek characters! This is so different but fresh, completely smart and entertaining, humorous story!
Firstly I read a couple of romcoms about game developers but because of unlikable characterization and aimless story telling disappointed me. But not this one: This book is so much better than I expected.
Even though at some parts it was hard to connect with Sierra who has differentiated weirdest anti ...more
Firstly I read a couple of romcoms about game developers but because of unlikable characterization and aimless story telling disappointed me. But not this one: This book is so much better than I expected.
Even though at some parts it was hard to connect with Sierra who has differentiated weirdest anti ...more
Jun 08, 2020
NAT.orious reads ☾
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
standalones
2.5 crushed STARS ★★✬✩✩
⤐ Preface.
Y'all. I've had this gut feeling for a while but now embraced it fully. I've abandoned my old rating system because I found it increasingly difficult to make the digits coming out of it fit my heart's impression of the books I'm reading.
⤐ Overall.
Let's not tiptoe around it. I considered dnfing Crushing It multiple time ...more
This book is for you if… nerdy gamer content and stubbornly gullible characters are more your vibe than a well developed arch of suspense.
⤐ Preface.
Y'all. I've had this gut feeling for a while but now embraced it fully. I've abandoned my old rating system because I found it increasingly difficult to make the digits coming out of it fit my heart's impression of the books I'm reading.
⤐ Overall.
Let's not tiptoe around it. I considered dnfing Crushing It multiple time ...more
“A gaggle of geeks....
A herd of nerds....
A drove of dorks....”
Yes, please, sign me up! Those are my people.
I don't often read anything tagged as romance, but every now and then I need a fun, light read and that’s when I turn to a romantic comedy with a blurb that catches my attention. And WoW did Crushing It catch my attention (see what I did there 😛).
Look, I'm just gonna get this right out there. I'm gonna gush about this book. It was just so relatable to me that it felt as though Ms. Parker w ...more
A herd of nerds....
A drove of dorks....”
Yes, please, sign me up! Those are my people.
I don't often read anything tagged as romance, but every now and then I need a fun, light read and that’s when I turn to a romantic comedy with a blurb that catches my attention. And WoW did Crushing It catch my attention (see what I did there 😛).
Look, I'm just gonna get this right out there. I'm gonna gush about this book. It was just so relatable to me that it felt as though Ms. Parker w ...more
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
Sierra, who works in developing video games, enters an embarassing contest to get over her fear of public speaking, and runs into her university crush there.
Crushing it is a sweet, down-to earth witty rom-com with relatable, dorky characters.
Initially, I had issues relating to Sierra at points. Tristan treated her like crap- why would she subject herself to that? He can’t even get her name right! B ...more
Sierra, who works in developing video games, enters an embarassing contest to get over her fear of public speaking, and runs into her university crush there.
Crushing it is a sweet, down-to earth witty rom-com with relatable, dorky characters.
Initially, I had issues relating to Sierra at points. Tristan treated her like crap- why would she subject herself to that? He can’t even get her name right! B ...more
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Crushing It was different than I expected, I can´t really remember reading a book where characters are supposed to be embarrassing on purpose which was actually refreshing. This book has plenty of cringeworthy moments and I applaud Lorelei Parker for that! I did enjoy most of the characters and their development. There was a lot of drama, which again was the point so I´m not holding this against the author. The only thing ...more
Crushing It was different than I expected, I can´t really remember reading a book where characters are supposed to be embarrassing on purpose which was actually refreshing. This book has plenty of cringeworthy moments and I applaud Lorelei Parker for that! I did enjoy most of the characters and their development. There was a lot of drama, which again was the point so I´m not holding this against the author. The only thing ...more
character motivations for this one was weak and messy. Our hero was disappointing and weak and finally grew some courage only to be hated in the end because of his betrayal.
Ahh! This book was so adorable! I love how you start falling for one love interest just to switch to another. It started out as an enemies to lovers and then totally takes a 180 and she realizes that her enemy wasn't her enemy 10 years ago but definitely is now.
I liked getting to see the world of gaming behind the scenes and thought that her idea of overcoming her fear of public speaking included reading diary entries in front of strangers. The competition between her and Tristen showed what "p ...more
I liked getting to see the world of gaming behind the scenes and thought that her idea of overcoming her fear of public speaking included reading diary entries in front of strangers. The competition between her and Tristen showed what "p ...more
Since a disastrous presentation in college, Sierra is afraid of speaking in public. But as a video-game developer, she has to (and really wants to) go to a convention to present her latest creation. To overcome nerves and practice, she enters a monologue competition in a bar on who shares their most embarrasing moment, sharing a journal entry from ten years before about her crush at the moment... only to discover said crush is also in the bar.
I really liked Sierra's personality, and how she want ...more
I really liked Sierra's personality, and how she want ...more
I gave Crushing It a D+ at All About Romance.
Lorelei Parker is a new-to-me author, and the blurb for Crushing It sounded interesting. I’m not into gaming, but I liked the premise and thought I might enjoy it. Friends, I still think this idea – if well executed, could make for a great rom com. Unfortunately, beyond the set-up, nothing about this book is fresh or original, and as the novel progresses, it’s a straight downhill trajectory; by the last page I just wanted it to be Game Over.
Smart, con ...more
Lorelei Parker is a new-to-me author, and the blurb for Crushing It sounded interesting. I’m not into gaming, but I liked the premise and thought I might enjoy it. Friends, I still think this idea – if well executed, could make for a great rom com. Unfortunately, beyond the set-up, nothing about this book is fresh or original, and as the novel progresses, it’s a straight downhill trajectory; by the last page I just wanted it to be Game Over.
Smart, con ...more
As a displaced Georgia girl I loved reading this book. It takes place in the Atlanta area where we find our main character Sierra. Sierra is a game developer. She has always dreamt of going to the gamers convention in Cologne Germany (another place I love). In order to get her coworkers to send her there she will need to present the newest game she is developing. The issue is, she is terrified of public speaking after an incident in college.
Her best friend Aida (a wonderful supporting character ...more
Her best friend Aida (a wonderful supporting character ...more
This book is absolutely fantastic. Parker's voice is like chatting with an old friend. My own crippling fear of public speaking (although thankfully not based on a traumatizing event) and love of games made it easy to relate to Sierra. It was interesting to see her falling back into old patterns—because that's what we do. Sierra was intensely human, and I love that about her.
The rivalry between Alfie and Tristan was very well-executed. And the end absoutely perfect.
Also, I want a dress with smi ...more
The rivalry between Alfie and Tristan was very well-executed. And the end absoutely perfect.
Also, I want a dress with smi ...more
Sierra is a video game developer who lacks confidence. Alfie is a bar owner and former college classmate who gives her the confidence boost she needs. Tristan is her college crush ready to prove he will do anything it takes to get what he wants. A spin on the classic love triangle trope, Crushing It is full of drama and twists every step of the way. While somewhat predictable, I found myself rooting for Sierra in the boardroom, on stage, and in her love life. You'll find the characters in this r
...more
I recieved this as an ARC & just WOW. I totally stepped out of my element with this one as it's not my typical read. I loved the game aspect, love triangle & above all the level up in the end. Phenomenal.
This is just a short review for goodreads to collect my thoughts after finishing this book; if interested I will post a complete review on my bookstagram: JSanders_bookreview ...more
This is just a short review for goodreads to collect my thoughts after finishing this book; if interested I will post a complete review on my bookstagram: JSanders_bookreview ...more
2.5 stars
Even though I listed this book on Goodreads just yesterday, I've been reading it for weeks. But now, I'm done reading, I wished I updated my reading progress so then you'll know by now, how I didn't enjoy reading it...But I am on hiatus and too lazy to log in here. I requested Crushing it from Netgalley because I was expecting it to be fun, lighthearted, and most of all, relatable. It's NOT, not even one of those three, and it's all because of the main character Sierra.
But first, the g ...more
Even though I listed this book on Goodreads just yesterday, I've been reading it for weeks. But now, I'm done reading, I wished I updated my reading progress so then you'll know by now, how I didn't enjoy reading it...But I am on hiatus and too lazy to log in here. I requested Crushing it from Netgalley because I was expecting it to be fun, lighthearted, and most of all, relatable. It's NOT, not even one of those three, and it's all because of the main character Sierra.
But first, the g ...more
I received this book from Netgalley as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The book focuses on Sierra, a female game developer, who has a fear of public speaking that she needs to overcome. In comes this open mic night at the local bar where the winner gets $1000. Sierra is convinced by her best friend to read from her old college communication class journal from ten years ago. In the journal, Sierra details her love for Tristian Spencer.
Enter Tristian Spencer, who just as douche as he soun ...more
The book focuses on Sierra, a female game developer, who has a fear of public speaking that she needs to overcome. In comes this open mic night at the local bar where the winner gets $1000. Sierra is convinced by her best friend to read from her old college communication class journal from ten years ago. In the journal, Sierra details her love for Tristian Spencer.
Enter Tristian Spencer, who just as douche as he soun ...more
In Crushing It by Lorelei Parker, a female game developer named Sierra struggles to overcome her fear of public speaking in order to pitch her new game at a Video Game Developer Conference. Following her attempt to practice this skill at an open-mic, this event sends her off on a wild love-story, complete with gaming references and a love triangle between two men she had known in college.
After reading the description to this book, I was immediately drawn in by the idea of a fun yet nerdy romance ...more
After reading the description to this book, I was immediately drawn in by the idea of a fun yet nerdy romance ...more
At first, this book was so amazing! It was funny and Sierra is such a relatable character. But, during the second half of the book, everything started to go south and by the end i didn’t think i enjoyed it much.
May 30, 2020
Anne - ReadingfortheWeekend
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
would-recommend,
books-without-cheating
This book was fantastic!! The writing was so colorful, the characters felt realistic and the pacing was on point.
The author was able to create situations and characters that felt relatable. It was refreshing to read a rom com/contemporary romance that had multiple strong female leads who were working in their chosen career fields.
I appreciated how the main character’s love of video games (she is a developer after all!) was woven into the storyline, yet it was done in a universal way. I am not ...more
The author was able to create situations and characters that felt relatable. It was refreshing to read a rom com/contemporary romance that had multiple strong female leads who were working in their chosen career fields.
I appreciated how the main character’s love of video games (she is a developer after all!) was woven into the storyline, yet it was done in a universal way. I am not ...more
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you are a gamer, or game developer, the book is suitable for you. The book is not my cup of tea. I enjoyed reading it for the first 40%, the remaining was just struggling to finishing it.
If you are a gamer, or game developer, the book is suitable for you. The book is not my cup of tea. I enjoyed reading it for the first 40%, the remaining was just struggling to finishing it.
As the lead software developer at a gaming start-up, Sierra Reid is in a prime position to go to Gamescon in Europe to demo their newest game, but only if she can get over her fear of public speaking. After some convincing arguments from Aida, her best friend, she joins a Chagrin Challenge, a contest much like American Idol, but with embarrassing anecdotes instead of vocals. Thinking that it will be easy to read from a journal written for a college course, she shares a story about her crush on a
...more
I..... hmm.
I started off really liking this. It was cute and creative and overall enjoyable. At the 50% mark.... my enjoyment had a few cringes that turned into QUITE a few more. I'd learned that my desire to shake Sierra was unhealthy but she was infuriating. This became very repetitive and there were few types of love that could help me change my mind.
By the end of it, I just wanted to finish to be done, unfortunately. Sierra was an immature narrator and one that did nothing but bother me. Sh ...more
I started off really liking this. It was cute and creative and overall enjoyable. At the 50% mark.... my enjoyment had a few cringes that turned into QUITE a few more. I'd learned that my desire to shake Sierra was unhealthy but she was infuriating. This became very repetitive and there were few types of love that could help me change my mind.
By the end of it, I just wanted to finish to be done, unfortunately. Sierra was an immature narrator and one that did nothing but bother me. Sh ...more
This book is about a woman who due to a bad experience in college is terrified of public speaking. She enters a contest to help her get over her fear where she comes face to face with 2 people from her past. You get to see how she deals with it and moves past it. There is also a romance involved. I liked this book and would read more from this author.
I liked the concept of the book and it definitely was an enjoyable read.
However I felt bored at some point and even though there were cute and funny moments at the end I wasn't swept of my feet.
Overall, it was an entertaining read but not a book I'd remember. ...more
However I felt bored at some point and even though there were cute and funny moments at the end I wasn't swept of my feet.
Overall, it was an entertaining read but not a book I'd remember. ...more
Aug 06, 2020
Christine (Queen of Books)
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
contemporary-romance,
netgalley-review
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.
Crushing It is a cute contemporary romance. Sierra has found herself a) with a habit of casually sleeping with men but not actually dating anyone, and b) with bad anxiety regarding public speaking. In these pages, she seeks to change both these.
Though Sierra's around 30 years old, this one struck me as pretty solidly "new adult." While her roommate's in a long-term romantic relationship, it seems Sierra and he ...more
Crushing It is a cute contemporary romance. Sierra has found herself a) with a habit of casually sleeping with men but not actually dating anyone, and b) with bad anxiety regarding public speaking. In these pages, she seeks to change both these.
Though Sierra's around 30 years old, this one struck me as pretty solidly "new adult." While her roommate's in a long-term romantic relationship, it seems Sierra and he ...more
Ms. Lorelei Parker wrote a lovely, heart-warming love story and I loved it!
Crushing It was funny, quirky with an amazing hero that had me swooning from his sweetness. He wasn't perfect and he definitely made some mistakes, but this flawed hero just did it for me. I fell in love with him. I also adored Sierra, she like most of us women, had her insecurities but was learning to put herself first and work for what she wanted. But mostly my favourite part of this story was how realistic it was, the ...more
Crushing It was funny, quirky with an amazing hero that had me swooning from his sweetness. He wasn't perfect and he definitely made some mistakes, but this flawed hero just did it for me. I fell in love with him. I also adored Sierra, she like most of us women, had her insecurities but was learning to put herself first and work for what she wanted. But mostly my favourite part of this story was how realistic it was, the ...more
In order to overcome her fear of public speaking, video game developer, Sierra competes in a local bar’s “diary slam”. She reads from her 10 year old journal about her college crush. Well, that crush just happens to be the next competitor! The two reconnect, but Sierra is having reservations. Along the way, she is finding herself in a growing friendship with the bar owner, Alfie. Is she making moves on the wrong player??
I wasn’t sure what I would think because gaming is totally not my thing (un ...more
I wasn’t sure what I would think because gaming is totally not my thing (un ...more
i have a divided opinion right now. at the beginning i was decided to drop the story, sierra was an idiot to say the least. i did get it, she wanted to believe the hot guy was respectable and wasn’t using her when he undeniably was. she didn’t believe her best friend even, i wanted to immerse myself into the book and hit her.
however, as it progressed it changed. she realized travis (hot guy) was an asshole and came to accept that the “nice guy” was the one for her. alfie, her romantic interest, ...more
however, as it progressed it changed. she realized travis (hot guy) was an asshole and came to accept that the “nice guy” was the one for her. alfie, her romantic interest, ...more
Sierra wanted to be the one presenting her newest game at a European conference. Unfortunately, she suffered from anxiety, when it came to public speaking, and well, you can guess how well her demo presentation went. But, she was willing to try anything to overcome her fear, and at the suggestion of her best friend, she entered a competition at a local bar, where people shared their most cringeworthy moments. This reunited her with two of her former college classmates, one being her crush, who s
...more
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