laurenleigh's reviews
621 reviews

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore

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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

3.5

Perfectly fine Hallmark movie-esque holiday romcom. Not something I’ll think about much now that it’s over, but it was fun for a light palette cleanser when I was in the mood for it. The small town vibes were cute and very Gilmore Girls coded, as to be expected from this author. The romantic pairing was okay, if not my favorite. They clearly had physical chemistry from the start, but I’m not sure if they have a much deeper connection. Their dogs are amazing though, fave characters!!
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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

4.5

Very glad I put down the audiobook when it wasn’t hitting, because I knew this would be amazing if I got the timing right! Everyone’s highly rated reviews are correct. Excellent gothic spooky vibes with a unique card based magic system. We love a band of misfits trying to overthrow a corrupt government. The romance felt a little rushed maybe, but I liked the end result. I can see why it was necessary for the plot, but I think this is a fantasy novel first, with a bonus romance subplot, which is generally my favorite way to balance the two.
The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

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

4.0

This is actually hovering around a 3.75 if I did quarter stars...maybe I will in 2025! I loved the first book so much, and this didn’t deliver as strongly. The plot dragged for too long in the beginning, and I needed more action or at least something to move us forward. The structure of the trials from book one really helped the pacing, and that was missing here. I still plan to continue the series, since the next two books focus on new characters. I like Oraya and Raihn, but I think their story has played out.
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.5

SUCH a fun time! I loved this listening experience, and I love Kelly Bishop even more now. It was especially fun to read this at the same time as my mom and hear her take. She was truly obsessed with A Chorus Line when it came out. Bishop originated the character Sheila, and it was so cool to hear how much of the character was based on her real life. It’s kind of wild to read about a Boomer’s life and see how much has changed in such a relatively short amount of time. A must read for any fan of Gilmore Girls or Chorus Line!
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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adventurous emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I had extremely high expectations because my #1 favorite BookTube gal is obsessed with this one. It didn’t quite live up to that, but it’s a very well written story nonetheless. I liked the spy storyline much more than the romance plot. Our FMC is seducing the enemy king to get information, and their relationship was actually more complex and interesting to me than her real love interest. The ending was kind of weird and unsatisfying, but I also understand what the author was trying to do.
Furysong by Rosaria Munda

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adventurous dark 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

4.5

An excellent end to the trilogy. Strings are tied up, but not too perfectly. Also I appreciated that there were real consequences for our protagonists. Even if it’s painful and sad when bad things happen to your favorite characters, I like my fantasy to actually be high stakes. And Munda does exactly that without violence or darkness feeling gratuitous and unnecessary. If you liked OR wanted to like Fourth Wing and/or Red Rising, I think you should give this series a try!
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

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hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.0

Very cute and cozy read, perfect for when you need a break from all the dark spooky reads of the season. The characters are lovable, and I appreciated their sense of humor. There were a few major plot twists that I not only didn’t see coming, I didn’t realize this was the kind of book to have twists at all! I doubt I’ll remember this book forever, but it was a very fun time while I read it. Give me more librarian MMC’s please!
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

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

4.5

This is the novella situated in between The Serpent and the Wings of Night and its sequel. The ending of the first book was so crazy that it was a little painful to make a pit stop before moving on to book 2, but I’m really glad I did! The characters from this novella are in book 2, so I have a deeper appreciation for them and their backstory. But even just on its own, this was a great read. Broadbent did a good job of narrowing the scope so the story fit the length, while still giving the reader depth and character arcs. The romance plot is a bit quick, but I get that’s necessary for this structure.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

You know when you’re loving a book so much, you’re thinking about it even when you’re not actively reading? I didn’t want to put this one down. Yes, it’s capitalizing on Hunger Games and ACOTAR and Twilight and lots of other super popular fantasy series, but who cares when it’s this fun to read? I like what I like! Oraya’s female rage was so satisfying, and I liked watching her character arc. In the same vein as ACOMAF, the ending was absolutely chaotic in the best way. Immediately onto the next in the series!
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

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dark emotional mysterious medium-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

I tried listening to this audiobook months ago and very quickly realized I wasn’t in the mood. I’m so glad I waited for the right time, because I absolutely loved this on my second attempt! The gothic crumbling manor house vibes were so good, set up with a perfect dark academia plot. I don’t know if loved the romance build up (it was slow burn but maybe could have been even slower?), though I loved the couple in the end. It felt very similar to Divine Rivals, but with more spooky fantasy elements.
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