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laurenleigh's reviews
629 reviews
One Life by Emma Brockes, Megan Rapinoe
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I wouldn’t typically pick up a sports memoir, but one of my reading challenges suggested reading about a Olympian. That’s why I do these challenges, because I ended up really enjoying this! The parts where Rapinoe discusses glaring inequality between the men’s and women’s teams were frustrating but illuminating. I think what I liked most was reading someone’s perspective that is so unlike my own. She’s not one to overthink things or second guess herself. It’s refreshing to spend sometime in someone else’s brain like that!
Looking for Alaska by John Green
emotional
reflective
fast-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
3.5
Sometimes you want to escape adulthood and pretend you’re the intended YA audience for a little bit. This did have some of John Green’s magic, with quirky characters, literary references, and surprisingly heavy topics for teenagers. I like how Green doesn’t talk down to his audience or try and shelter them too much from reality. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of patience for manic pixie dream girls anymore, and our main character’s obsession with her was rather tiresome.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Read for a “set in a landlocked country” challenge prompt, since this is primarily in Vatican City. I remember tearing through this and Da Vinci Code in like 2012, thinking they were SO cool. Sadly this didn’t hold up for me at all. I do blame the narrator for making things sound so cheesy and over dramatic, but I think the material itself is too. The immediate and ever present sexualization of basically the only female character left me rolling my eyes. Everything just felt way less believable than I remember it.
The Love Penalty by Stef C.R.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Right book, right time! I was having a rough week when I started this book, and it was such a much needed brain break. I knew truly nothing about hockey and this did a good job of giving me enough information about the sport to follow along, without turning into a hockey manual. The characters felt real and not canned. I also loved their family and friend groups, which always helps add depth to a romance. All around a great fun, quick read!
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Really well done, even if it was extremely sad and not what I was in the mood to read. Zauner is so multi-talented, in both writing and music (Japanese Breakfast is her band), so I’m totally impressed by her. As the cover suggests, food plays a huge role in this memoir and in Zauner’s journey, and that writing was some of my favorites. I hope this process was cathartic for her. If reading about cancer treatment or losing a parent is going to be too sensitive for you, save this read for later.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I love a haunted house story, and I thought the setting (1823 Mexico, just after their war of independence) was great, but overall this didn’t do it for me. There was little to no character development, so I was left not really caring what happened to anyone. There were good spooky plot points, but they just didn’t hit as hard. I keep reading books that I’m not truly in the mood for, and that’s part of my struggle. I don’t think it was a bad book, just wasn’t the right time for me.
Once Upon a Leap Year by Anna Bell
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Our main characters share a February 29th birthday, and we see them primarily every leap day over the course of 20 years. It was an interesting change of pace to see a romance novel with such a long time span, and you do get to see character growth in a rewarding way. They seemed to spend a lot of time apart in between leap years though, so kind of weird romantic development. I didn’t have a bad time reading this, I just don’t think it’s going to stick with me for very long.
ASAP by Axie Oh
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I didn’t love XOXO, the first in this “series,” but I figured I’d give this a go to complete a reading challenge prompt. It was cute and formulaic and just fine overall. Everything just felt pretty bland to me. A lot of the “falling back in love” elements of this second-chance romance happened while our characters were separated, and I guess I wanted them to spend more time together. Even if that means conflict, it’s more exciting and engaging than a lot of internal dialogue.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Kind of disappointing, really. This could have been so good, but it really wasn’t. There’s definitely chemistry between our main characters, but everything else felt neglected. I get JLA was trying to keep the reader in the dark about certain plot points to give us a big reveal, but it just left me confused for most of the book. It felt like the world-building was not quite complete. I liked the building blocks, but it never actually came together. Lastly, what really drove me crazy was the constant paragraph breaks. That only works sparingly to add emphasis. When you do it constantly, it loses all effect and drives me up a wall.
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is a collection of dark short stories by Indigenous authors, and I will admit that I absolutely picked this up just because the cover stopped me in my tracks at a bookstore. I struggle with short story collections though, because inevitably some connect with me more than others, and it leaves me feeling ambivalent overall. Maybe 25% or 30% of the stories here stood out to me? Some were just too gory horror for me. I actually had to switch to audiobook at the end because I use my e-reader at night before bed, and it was getting too scary for me. Especially with my ultra vivid pregnancy dreams!