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laurenleigh's reviews
636 reviews
Kala by Colin Walsh
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I guess I can see why this was compared to A Secret History (one of my favorites), but it fell short of that for me. I had trouble connecting to these characters. Possibly because the narrators’ heavy accents and Irish slang that confused me. Not trying to give much away here, but someone goes missing and no one seems to notice or really care for like days?? That confused me. I bet if I had read this in print, I would have liked it better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Murder
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I mean Ann Patchett could write an Ikea instruction manual, and I’d read it. There’s something about her way of seeing the truth at the heart of things. And then she can actually communicate that! But her style is so accessible, not caught up in pretentiousness. I loved this book in particular because it was a bonding experience for my mom and I, just like the sisters and their mom in this story were connecting. State of Wonder is still my favorite of hers, but this is a close second! FYI, Our Town is a prerequisite for reading this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Animal death
Minor: Abortion
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If I did quarter stars, this might be a 4.25! I’m not quite sure if I understand the extreme amount of hype, but I did enjoy this. I can see why it’s often grouped with ACOTAR (fantasy romance with some definite spice), but I liked this way more than that. There seems to be a greater acceptance and mainstreaming of more explicit sex scenes in fiction these days, and I’m all for sex positivity! I also LOVE how this is the second spicy book I’ve read recently that talks about consent, even if briefly. It felt like if you removed dragons and magic from this, you’d just have a modern day enemies to lovers romance in a military school. Personally, I could have used more fantasy, more diving into the magic systems.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual content, and Violence
The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I LOVE this series!! I loved the first, but this was even better! I just eat up political drama, and this installment was full of it. The characters are fantastic. The love interest Jaren is great, but I adore Caldon even more! His deep brotherly love for Kiva makes my heart sing. And thank god Noni didn’t write a love triangle there like I was afraid she would. All the secrets and lies from our growing cast of characters were just–*chef’s kiss*– incredible. What a follow up! I’m so sad there’s only one more book in the series.
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This didn’t quite do it for me. I haven’t read Gong’s other works, but I know this is her first Adult fantasy novel. There were times the violence felt a bit gratuitous, like she was trying to prove this wasn’t YA. It’s billed as a retelling of Antony and Cleopatra, but I barely see the connection. I struggled the most with trying to picture this world. It felt like it wanted to be historical fiction with fantasy mixed in, but then there’s this weird semi-primitive computer technology motif woven in that never made sense to me. The body jumping element was interesting as concept (i.e. you are not your body, your Self transcends a physical self), but it opened up so many potential plot holes in my head.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This reminded me of The Cemetery Boys, but sadder and not as cute. I know the ending is right there in the title, but I guess I still hoped they’d find a way out. There was some uplift in how two young men could find joy together even knowing they were on death’s door, but I didn’t quite feel their connection or their chemistry. Bonus points for being partially narrated by Michael Crouch, one of my favorites!
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Yes, it feels good to finally read books you lied about reading in high school. And yes, it feels good to check off another classic, this being the first English language novel. But ugh what a bore! Which was made worse by constant racism (lots of depictions of people of color as barbarians, savages, etc.). Pretty sickening, especially Crusoe’s relationship with Friday. The ONLY thing this had going for it was Simon Vance as a narrator.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I liked the concept better than the actual text here, but the concept was so good I don’t even mind that much! In a Cinderella retelling, Cinder is a cyborg in a very steampunk inspired kingdom. Human cyborgs are second-class citizens in this world, which added an interesting dimension. In addition to the Cinderella/Prince love story, there was a subplot where Cinder is trying to help find a cure for a plague, on top of Cinder discovering the secrets of her past, on top of international political drama. Kind of too much going on!
The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Making a romance novel LGBTQIA+ and inclusive makes me love it so much more! The plot here was light and fluffy with a touch of magical realism. A great palette cleanser between heavier stuff. A central theme here was finding community, both in physical spaces and in the people with which you surround yourself. I now want to find a very gay bakery to support. Also A+ for including asexual/aromantic and poly characters, which are even less represented in the genre!
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I didn’t want to put this one down! It’s a scenario where a plus-sized woman is cast as the Bachelorette (though it’s an alternate universe with a different show name of course). It has all the fun of watching dating show reality TV without the unnecessary side plots and over-hyped “most dramatic episode yet!” filler. I loved it so much, and I wish it was a real show! I would watch the hell out of that. It’s making me want to actually start paying for Hulu to watch The Golden Batchelor to bump up their numbers and convey that the world is ready for more diversity in reality TV.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia