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laurenleigh's reviews
623 reviews
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
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
3.5
I wasn’t quite in the mood for a second Ali Hazelwood so soon, but the library hold was here and none of my other holds appealed to me. Overall I enjoyed this, but it was a darker, more serious story than Hazelwood’s normal rom coms. I knew this going in, but I kind of missed the fun comedic tone of her other works. On the other hand, I seriously appreciate a FMC who is confident, self-assured, and sex-positive; that felt delightfully new in my romance genre reading so far. And the issues these characters faced in their pasts wouldn’t have landed correctly in a light rom com.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
I can see why this resonated with so many in 2020 and 2021. I’ve been listening to the We Can Do Hard Things podcast backlist, so a lot of these stories I had already heard, but the messages are important so they bear repeating. Some parts potentially border on cheesy, but that’s part of the package with a book like this. I think it would have impacted me more if I had read it a few years ago, but I still enjoyed it and would recommend.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
Rom coms are already a comforting genre (you know how these go in the end), but even more so when it’s an author you know and love. Yes, it’s rather formulaic, but I think that’s a huge part of the appeal. I was absolutely in the mood for something light and easy when this library hold came up, and I had a great time. I love our MMC and his cat so much! The third act climatic scene took a bit of a left turn that was a bit strange though. The Love Hypothesis is still my favorite, but this has easily taken second place.
The Happy Sleeper by Julie Wright, Heather Turgeon
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Kind of hard to rate something like this, but I think it will be helpful in the (near) future! I might borrow a physical copy from the library in the future if I need to “troubleshoot” a specific issue that arises. For now, I wasn’t too focused on all the specifics, just the overall messaging. Humans of all ages are programmed to know how to sleep, and there are things we can do to encourage that, while also not overstepping and getting in the way of things. I read this because I saw another mom on here highly recommend it, and I hope I get the same great results she did!
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to like this more. I have heard incredible things about this series, but I won’t be continuing. I think the overall tone was too...idk gross? Too gory, too bawdy, too graphic, too much toxic masculinity. I read plenty of other dark dystopian fantasies with violence and war, but this was just dark in a way that doesn’t appeal to me. Like if the Hunger Games were edited with a MMC, more violence, and a lot more talk of d!cks and sh!t. I love that some folks are way into this, but it ain’t my cup of tea.
A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
I’m glad I picked up the sequel to A River Enchanted while the first book was still fresh in my mind! I enjoyed the expansion of this world, as a good sequel should do. I’m struck again by the theme of communication, or lack thereof, often due to magical forces. I can’t talk about it too much here without spoilers, but I appreciate that thread woven throughout the duology. I maybe lost some of the finer plot points in audio format, but the narrator has such a delightful Scottish accent that I love the ride regardless.
Birth Without Fear: The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum by January Harshe
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
This book was a like a warm hug from your big sister. Harshe’s down to earth approach to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum was very welcome. I don’t know that anything was brand new information to me, and it doesn’t get super deep into any one part of the process. It’s more of a helpful overview to reassure and affirm your choices, whatever they may be. My biggest takeaway is that no one “lets you” do anything; you are ultimately in charge of what feels right for you, your baby, and your family.
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This had the makings of something great, but it wasn’t quite developed enough. It was a really short read, so there was definitely space for more, in my opinion! Loved the dark academia setting, loved the sapphic elements, loved the paranormal slant. But things moved so quickly. I wanted to explore the students’ relationship to their teacher more, and I wanted to learn more about the paranormal creatures. The narrator was also a bit weird, attempting an accent with middling success.
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
My online book club’s pick for September! I keep saying I don’t read much contemporary romance, but I actually do these days. Mainly because this group picks such good ones! On the surface level alone, this is a fun rom-com that legitimately made me laugh out loud multiple times. But it’s also a really heartfelt story of what it means to be alive, the good and the bad. We get to watch our lovable main character’s growth as she learns to let people in and actually start living life. Extra points for the reference to “Being Alive,” which is probably my favorite Sondheim song of all time.
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
But wait there’s more! I knew in the back of my mind that Meyer published Twilight through Edward’s POV, but I hadn’t read it yet. So I did the tandem read! It made everything even more fun, and actually added a level of unexpected depth to the story. Edward’s voice and perspective is understandably more mature than Bella’s, and I really enjoyed this experience. Not that Edward is always a fully mature person that makes smart decisions lol. Alexa, play “I Look in People’s Windows.”