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jwilson4444's reviews
500 reviews
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I appreciate that the author really gave both characters complex personalities and it was a fun breezy read but I wanted a little more connection and relationship building than we got. Scottie was also (to put it kindly) hard to empathize with almost all the time because of how much of a clown she consistently was.
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
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
4.25
This was really good!! I really connected with both main characters, loved the summer camp setting and friends, and I was engaged with the story the entire time!
I do feel like icebreaker hit home a little more for me than this one, and that there was just a taddd too much sexy time in this, but otherwise, no complaints :)
I do feel like icebreaker hit home a little more for me than this one, and that there was just a taddd too much sexy time in this, but otherwise, no complaints :)
Daydream by Hannah Grace
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
3.5
Paper Towns by John Green
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Mostly fine, but a little pointless?
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
An improvement from the steminist novellas, but every time I read a good novella I just know it would be better as a full length book so…
The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I didn’t honestly know what to expect going into the co-op because it was the first book from DeWitt that I’ve read, but it was surprised me how charming it was! The story begins with LaRynn and Deacon having a very antagonistic relationship while faking a marriage and renovating a house while also avoiding talking about the way their relationship ended very poorly when they were teenagers.
As the story continues, the two start to learn more about each other and themselves and they find themselves growing together and as individuals, which I really enjoyed! Second chance romance and fake dating/marriages are really hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tarah DeWitt for a copy of this novel!
As the story continues, the two start to learn more about each other and themselves and they find themselves growing together and as individuals, which I really enjoyed! Second chance romance and fake dating/marriages are really hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tarah DeWitt for a copy of this novel!
Gaslight by Sara Shepard, Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
**3.5 stars**
This was a pretty straightforward novel about a cult, specifically what happens when an escaped member and a current member who have a lot of history with each other reunite under suspicious circumstances.
I feel like because I have read a decent amount of Shepherd’s other books, I was expecting a little bit more wow at the end which I did not get. The story DOES have a climax, it’s just not as twisty as Shepherd’s other works, and that’s okay (plus it was also written by Joris-Peyrafitte, so it makes sense that this book would be a little different). I really enjoyed this still! The less crazy ending just made it seem more realistic, which I throughly appreciated.
If you want a fast-moving and well written cult novel that is still decently realistic, I would 100% recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Sara Sheperd, and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this novel!
This was a pretty straightforward novel about a cult, specifically what happens when an escaped member and a current member who have a lot of history with each other reunite under suspicious circumstances.
I feel like because I have read a decent amount of Shepherd’s other books, I was expecting a little bit more wow at the end which I did not get. The story DOES have a climax, it’s just not as twisty as Shepherd’s other works, and that’s okay (plus it was also written by Joris-Peyrafitte, so it makes sense that this book would be a little different). I really enjoyed this still! The less crazy ending just made it seem more realistic, which I throughly appreciated.
If you want a fast-moving and well written cult novel that is still decently realistic, I would 100% recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Sara Sheperd, and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this novel!
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.0
I fear I’m just a silly girl looking for a good time and this was just 1% too confusing and 1% too boring for me to truly enjoy.
Now, I think that if you are not me and normally read fantasy you could find great enjoyment in this, because even I (who could not keep track of any characters until 60% through the book) did find enjoyment reading at times, especially the latter half of the book.
The first half is quite dull though, and I feel like although I understand why Leigh would want us to spend so much time understanding the casual suffering of the main character, it was still a bit too drawn out. I also just expected… more maybe? I thought more would happen in this after reading Ninth House and yet, I would consider this kind of a slow, low-key read.
Now, I think that if you are not me and normally read fantasy you could find great enjoyment in this, because even I (who could not keep track of any characters until 60% through the book) did find enjoyment reading at times, especially the latter half of the book.
The first half is quite dull though, and I feel like although I understand why Leigh would want us to spend so much time understanding the casual suffering of the main character, it was still a bit too drawn out. I also just expected… more maybe? I thought more would happen in this after reading Ninth House and yet, I would consider this kind of a slow, low-key read.
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
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
4.25
I actually really liked this!
I was probably the most skeptical of this book out of all of Ali’s others because I have been slowly drifting away from YA butttttt this was actually very good. Mallory (although frustrating at times) was a very relatable and sympathetic character and the romance between her and Nolan was built up so well in such a short period of time.
Plus, even though I know nothing about competitive chess, I really appreciated the chess elements! It was different and fun and presented in a way that didn’t make the reader feel stupid for not knowing what “knight to E4” means.
Overall = a big yes for this book! The family relationships alone were enough for me to enjoy and then the romance was the cherry on top :)
I was probably the most skeptical of this book out of all of Ali’s others because I have been slowly drifting away from YA butttttt this was actually very good. Mallory (although frustrating at times) was a very relatable and sympathetic character and the romance between her and Nolan was built up so well in such a short period of time.
Plus, even though I know nothing about competitive chess, I really appreciated the chess elements! It was different and fun and presented in a way that didn’t make the reader feel stupid for not knowing what “knight to E4” means.
Overall = a big yes for this book! The family relationships alone were enough for me to enjoy and then the romance was the cherry on top :)