egaffron's reviews
4 reviews

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

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

3.0

This book is much more about the relationship between Hadley and her father than the guy Hadley has a romance with. By the end, of course I was happy for Hadley. Of course I wanted her to reunite with her father and forgive him for her sake. As a grown reader however, I could not forgive that man. The guy left his wife and daughter. When his teenage daughter was understandably angry, his attempts to bond with her were too few. For a book supposedly about love, it really emphasizes soulmate-style love over buildng and maintaining relationships. I could not forgive that stepmother either. However, I definitely cared about the main character, Hadley, and I wanted to protect  that fictional girl and for her to be happy.
Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

The Guest by Emma Cline

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.25

This novel is more literary fiction than  thriller. It reminded me of a long-form short story. It also reminded me of the tension and class-consciousness of White Lotus. The main character is a deeply flawed young woman whose insights into other people are often spot-on. She is a predator, looking for ways to manipulate the people around her at all times, but she is also vulnerable and fragile. This might be what it's like inside the mind of a psychopath. This is a book I will chew on for a long time. 

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