kinzo103's reviews
95 reviews

Jonah and the Narwhal by Vinni George

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

3.5

I picked this as a quick read from a Stuff Your Kindle Day, and it didn’t disappoint. I’m fairly neutral about it, I didn’t dislike it and it’s exactly what I expected it to be.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

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

5.0

I don’t even know what to say to adequately praise this book, other than I don’t know why everyone isn’t talking about it. This is a dark, monstrous, beautiful ode to girlhood, feminine rage, and girlish hunger. It feels so rare that a story of this quality is encapsulated in a standalone. I cannot recommend this book enough. It horrified me, ripped me apart, and painfully, tenderly drew me back together. One of my all time favorites.
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This read like a very dark Nancy Drew, and I ate it up. Riley Sager never disappoints. This particular story gave me the heebie jeebies more than others because it felt like it could so easily be real.
Tartuffe by Molière

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

3.5

I had to read this for class and expected it to be boring. However, it turned out to be an interesting critique on false piety and religious hypocrisy, and the drama kept me pretty interested. It was both annoying and strangely comforting to read that people who tout religion as a form of manipulation are the same today as they were in the 1600s: loud and annoying.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

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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? It's complicated

3.75

This book felt a bit like the mystery series from childhood, evoking the question, “how do this things keep happening to our character?” However, that feeling is lessened by the quality of the story. This book was less scary than the first, but it wasn’t any less enjoyable. The twist was very interesting, though it did feel like some information came out of no where and made the resolutions a bit too convenient, which is the only reason I’m rating it lower. Still a very fun read, and I’m excited to see what happens in the next one.
A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

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dark sad medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

It’s unfortunate, after reading the Author’s Note about how she thought that this was the perfect conclusion to this series, that I feel so strongly that this feels like a bastardization of the story that I fell in love with. First of all, so many unfinished stories. And yes, maybe they’ll be continued in other series, but as we don’t know yet, the stories of Medusa, Ariadne, and Dionysus feel like gaping holes. What about Apollo and Hyacinth? What about Lexa and Thanatos? What about the horrific damage to New Athens? 

Second, and most important, is the horrific violence against women, namely Ariadne and the Maenads. I had to put the book down after a certain scene made me sick to my stomach, and every consenting sex scene afterwards made me equally sick. You can’t “atone” for disgusting SA with more sex. 

I’m really glad I didn’t buy the special edition of this series that I wanted, because after those scenes, I’m not sure whether I’ll read anything from this author ever again. As a lover of Greek tragedies, if I was willing to read about that kind of violence, I would have read a retelling that I knew was sticking to its Greco-Roman tragedy roots so that I was prepared. My former love for this series will forever be marred by what I’ve just read.
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A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I really enjoyed Jackson’s creation of a real world, with diverse characters and realistic uglies, such as bigotry and SA. It’s not a happy tale, despite the “happy ending”, but it is a story that I could envision being real. The only thing I didn’t like is that I didn’t feel like there were enough clues that led to the final reveal, I don’t know that it fully came together in a way that made complete sense. However, I still really enjoyed this book and will be reading the sequel.
A Blue Ribbon Romance by C.M. Nascosta

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

4.0

I typically am not a huge fan of retelling a same story from the other POV, but this book had something special. We knew that Roarke was a sweetly from MGMF, but getting to witness his attraction to and adoration for Violet while maintaining respect for her was so calming. It was great to read discussions of consent. It was also nice to read about marriages ending amicably and the feelings of wanting to settle down when you’re older and having trouble meeting the right one. This story was just as heartwarming as its predecessor.
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta

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

4.0

I really didn’t expect to like this story as much as I did. I was reading it for the shock factor, I HAD to see what people were talking about. I didn’t expect a tender romance with a respectful Minoan King. This book addressed the stress of adulting, mounting debt, and inter-cultural relationships. I was gladly surprised by the depth of this world; I, too, would like to live in Cambric Creek!
When She Was Me by Marlee Bush

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I think this book was really well done. It felt like everything was intentionally crafted to come together in the end, it didn’t feel like anything that happened felt surprising or rushed or like it didn’t fit. Every thread was woven to come together perfectly. I really enjoyed the nameless chapters that wove throughout the story that added a layer to the mystery and set up the ending without confirming anything.