hollielovesromance's reviews
587 reviews

Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

Go to review page

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

4.0

A dark and twisty journey through what’s supposed to be Andrew, Dove, and Thomas’s senior year at their boarding school. Things seem to be starting off on the wrong foot for Andrew when his twin, Dove, can’t wait to get away from him and his best friend, Thomas, is being questioned by police. As the weeks start to pass by Andrew begins to realize that something truly wrong is happening at his boarding school and it involves the forest. 
This was such a quick, interesting read. The entire read I found myself thinking “something isn’t quite right…something isn’t adding up” which made the twist towards the end even more impactful. This was such a thoughtful and tender exploration of grief and the ways it sinks into us. 
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadeh

Go to review page

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

What a heartbreaking exploration of a father’s life and the many things we cannot know about people during their time on earth.  Shehadeh does an excellent job presenting what he learned of his father following his passing and reflecting on what they meant to their relationship while he was alive. I appreciated how unflinching Shehadeh was in presenting the historical context needed for this book. 
Homie: Poems by Danez Smith

Go to review page

4.0

I really appreciated the way Smith played with structure and form in this collection. You can feel the love and devotion to his community throughout these poems. 
Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer

Go to review page

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

5.0

Area X is back and y’all it was wild. The pacing of this novel was really well done. I easily found myself falling back into the world of Southern Reach and Area X as if this book wasn’t being released a decade after the original trilogy. I loved the structure of this novel and getting to see the three of parts of it play out. VanderMeer is an expert of writing scenes that make my skin absolutely crawl. This book had so many scenes just like that that made me put down the book to take a break. It’s haunting and I know that I’ll be carrying a bit of Area X and Southern Reach with me forever. 
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook

Go to review page

emotional informative sad fast-paced

4.0

A well written and reported account of individuals who got caught up by Qanon and the fall out of it all. This was a hard listen but was so insightful into how easy it is for people to buy in to conspiracy theories and find themselves deep in a mindset that is deeply harmful. 
Woodworm by Layla Martínez

Go to review page

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

4.0

What a grim reflection on a grief, vengeance, class dynamics and generational trauma. The house as a character is creepy and complex. This is a quick creepy read. 
A Breath of Fresh Air by Allegra Hall

Go to review page

4.0

I love a story where the MCs are not 20! This was short, sweet, and ultra steamy. I loved that both MCs had their own loved that they brought into the story and were thoughtful about the impacts of each other on their children. 
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This one started out slow and awkward. A friend described Sascha as a baby bird learning to fly in terms of awkward levels and that’s true. It wasn’t until like 55% of the way into this book that I was like oh hell yeah let’s go. 
Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful fast-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

4.0

This was a quick cute read. I love it centering around a romance book club. So fun!
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Go to review page

informative fast-paced

4.0

I appreciate when a writer can recognize blind spots in their knowledge and need to listen to communities to further understand their struggle. This book was on my radar but following the atrocious antagonistic interview on CBS morning where the interview stated without Coates name, the publisher or cover that this book would be extremist propaganda and implied that Coates was antisemitic for bringing the plight of Palestinians to the forefront I decided to prioritize this read.