mschaub2's reviews
1494 reviews

Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

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challenging dark tense slow-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

3.25

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

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challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings

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

4.75

Oh my GOD excuse my language but this book is SO F*CKING CUTE!!! At first i have to admit, Eva’s vibes really put me off-girlfriend is JADED.  But her character development was really well done and i genuinely grew to love her.  Rylie is such a simp and the therapy scene?!  A romance masterpiece!! This is worth all your preorders and then some.  
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 66%.
I think fans of assistant to the villain will love this, but almost nothing happens it is PAINFULLY boring 
Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson

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emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is a really interesting slice of life novel that functions as a hybrid between contemporary lit fic and romance.  Narratively i would say it follows the structure of a modern romance, but the topics where we go deep are a. alcoholism recovery (no relapse, that is not a point of tension here) and b. Parental alcoholism/grieving death of a parent.  I thought t that Emma’s anxious internal monologue was really relatable and well written, and i liked the representation of her struggles with AA, an organization that has really struggled to modernize while also remaining the most consistent and available resource for alcoholism recovery.  It was a thoughtful and well written book, and the audiobook narration, which i read in tandem with the physical book, was well done.  
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You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I am never not nervous about the second book in a trilogy but this breaks every stereotype about them!! Safely entrenched in the world building completed in book one, this deftly introduces us to some excellent new characters and keeps the pacing quick and engaging.  We’re above ground for a bit and then back in Mosima for the action-exactly what you want from this book!  
Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson

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mysterious 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

2.5

A cozy southern mystery that was just…okay tbh.  This book suffered from a severe lack of setting.  It was so deeply isolated to the location of the bookstore-i had no picture of what this town actually looked like!  Our protagonist never really left the building or had a life for us to engage with outside of solving this murder!  Also she just annoyed the  crap out of me with the nonsense with philomena . I didn’t need a 3rd act friend breakup with the best character in the book in a cozy mystery.