leannj's reviews
2180 reviews

Mission Unpluckable by Aaron Blabey

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I appreciate that the author really committed to this story being a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Not only with the plot, but also with the narration style. There were certain adaptation choices that I wasn't convinced by, but to be fair Pride and Prejudice has never been my favorite Jane Austen book so I've had problems with certain plot beats from the source material anyway. 
Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

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emotional hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

The author did a really good job at showing how grief can look different for different people, but that almost made it harder to get through the book because of how well it was portrayed. Especially when you reading from the perspective of a kid who is so overwhelmed by not only losing a parent, but also having to move to a new country and learn a new language and culture.
The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was adorable
All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

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https://youtu.be/pv_iRpnhVIA?si=g6KdX6i3RoKzqQ-J

^^this video goes into depth into how the author is actually a scammer 
Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Frankly I was just bored for most of the book, making the developments happening in plot and characters fall flat and feel unearned.
We the Animals by Justin Torres

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

3.75

Part of me thinks that I am not smart enough to truly appreciate this book. Usually this kind of storytelling style (piecing the narrative together through vignettes) isn't really my thing but by the end I was surprised at how the ending of the book shocked me, making me realize how much I'd been sucked into the story.
Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"We need more unlikeable female characters!" You guys couldn't even handle Juliette.

Funnily enough, the romance was my least favorite part- the parts of the story that were more about Juliette coming of age and discovering (and rediscovering) things about herself resonated with me more.
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Very bleak (rightfully so) and I think while I was immersed in the story I do think it confirms for me that there is almost always something that keeps me from fully becoming immersed fiction about real historical figures as opposed to completely fictional characters in a realistic historical setting. The writing was beautiful and definitely has me intrigued to check more of this author's work. Most of all I'm glad to have finally read this book after it having been on my to-read shelf for a decade at this point.
The Broke Hearts by Matt Mendez

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As with the first book, the end is really where the story really packs an emotional punch.