caseythereader's reviews
1744 reviews

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel

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emotional funny 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? No

5.0

Thanks to Dell for the free copy of this book.

 - Siegel’s brand of historical romance that reads like literary fiction is quickly becoming my favorite thing.
- THE PHOENIX BRIDE is filled with such longing! Burning! Pining! And it’s brought about by very real history: the persecution of Jewish people throughout Europe in this period.
- I love a historical romance heroine that’s trying to buck tradition and propriety. Sometimes books stretch credulity when they do that, but this book works to find a way to bring Cecilia and David together that might have actually happened.
- Lastly, we love a bisexual hero in a romance! 

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The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Thanks to Celadon Books for the free copy of this book.

 - If you’re a lover of memoirs exploring intergenerational trauma, THE MANICURIST’S DAUGHTER is one you can’t miss.
- Lieu’s to-the-point writing brings all her pain to the surface as we follow her trying both to figure out who she is an who her family members are as well.
- As Lieu’s understanding of and empathy for her family members’ individual grief processes grows, we begin to see a portrait of a family doing its best to hold on to each other even as they’ve experienced the worst the world has to offer. 

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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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adventurous mysterious 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

4.0


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Selling the Dream: The Billion-Dollar Industry Bankrupting Americans by Jane Marie

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funny informative medium-paced

4.0

Thanks to Atria Books for the free copy of this book.

 - As someone who finds MLMs fascinating and a longtime fan of The Dream podcast, I was pumped for Jane Marie’s book and it delivers.
- If you’re a listener of her podcast, the ideas and players outlined here won’t be new, but Marie goes into greater historical detail and layers everything with her trademark snark.
- I always appreciate the care and thought Marie gives her subjects, even if, like me, she doesn’t understand their choices. It’s a kind takedown, as strange as that sounds. 

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Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome by Aparna Nancherla

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funny informative reflective medium-paced

3.75


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This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

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

4.25

Thanks to Forever for the free copy of this book.

 - THIS COULD BE US is another knockout from Kennedy Ryan. It’s her signature blend of drama, longing, and heat and I couldn’t put it down.
- I loved that Soledad was so focused on figuring out who she was separate from a man. Even when she had a perfect man waiting there for her, she still put herself first.
- I do think it could have been a little shorter (Ryan’s books are always tomes!) but there was so much going on in the story that I was willing to be there with them while they untangled everything. 

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Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man by Violet Marsh

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

4.5

Thanks to Forever for the free copy of this book.

 - LADY CHARLOTTE ALWAYS GETS HER MAN is a treat of a book, a blend of Regency romance and cozy mystery.
- Charlotte and Matthew were such a sweet pair, both trying to make space for the other to exist as they are, and also being head over heels for each others’ nontraditional ways.
- This book is a rare historical romance that openly states and tries to deal with how wealthy Brits were able to live the life they did (spoiler: it’s slavery).
- Like the best cozy mysteries, this book deals with heavy topics mixed with joy, and you’re rooting for the main crew the whole way. I really hope to see more books in this series! 

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The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for the free copy of this book.

 - THE POISONS WE DRINK is a dark story, full of characters overflowing with rage and love, fighting against a system designed to eliminate them.
- I loved the world Baptiste built here. There’s a complex magic system that promises real rewards and major consequences. It’s also set in DC, which I love, and you can tell Baptiste has true familiarity with the city.
- There was so much going on in this book that it was often too much - the interpersonal relationships and politics became a bit confusing as the layers of treachery built, and it was a bit overly long for me in the portion in the middle where Venus was uncovering secrets.
- Still, I am excited to see where Baptiste goes as an author, since POISONS is stuffed full of unique and exciting ideas. 

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The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

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

4.0


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