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laurenleigh's reviews
624 reviews
This Winter by Alice Oseman
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love the Heartstopper characters, but this novella is a lot sadder than the graphic novels and I didn’t love it as much. Charlie is newly out of an ED recovery center, and I understand those difficulties all too well, but I also struggled with his teenage moodiness. He can’t seem to make up his mind whether he wants attention or not. I know it’s about the right kind of attention, and I get that this balance is difficult to achieve, but it wasn’t terribly fun to read. I can relate to Charlie just as much as I can relate to the mom and sister, so I find myself frustrated on both ends.
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
Picked this up on a random YouTuber’s rec, and wow were they right!! This book needs way more hype than it’s currently getting! I have some other library holds on my Kobo to get through, but then I’m definitely picking up the sequel. Our main characters are great, but I’m actually so impressed by all the side characters. They were so real and well developed. Only thing I struggled to believe was that the country’s war efforts were being led by 17 year-olds, but I’ll allow it lol. I need someone to talk about this with!!
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I feel like I want to warn folks that this is pretty different than Bardugo’s other works, and there’s a chance it might not be your cup of tea. But it’s definitely mine! Historical fiction set in Spain with a gothic fantasy slant...*chef’s kiss.* Made for me. The vibes are so real. Carlos Ruiz Zafón is one of my other favorite authors, and this was so in keeping with his style. Bardugo is so good at writing morally grey characters who feel very real and keep you guessing. The Familiar character especially is so intriguing to me, and I want him to have his own spinoff!
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was...fine. The 1930's circus setting is a cinematic place to set a novel, and I do appreciate feeling immersed in that kind of escapism. I just didn’t care enough about the characters overall. Jacob, our main character, is shown both during the circus and many decades later in a nursing home. I wasn’t terribly invested in his 1930's plot line, but wow was he tugging at my heart strings in his 90's! But not in a very pleasant way. I felt SO sad that he wasn’t getting the attention and acknowledgement that every human deserves. As I’ve said before, points for making me feel, even if I didn’t love the feeling.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I liked the first 1/3 or 1/2 of this thriller. It was actually creeping me out a little too hard (didn’t help that I was housesitting alone at the time), but I give any book points that can make me feel that strongly! Then the plot just got really convoluted. Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention, but there were so many plot twists and turns that I got lost somewhere along the way. It didn’t quite follow the dramatic arc I was expecting, which is interesting, but I kind of want that big dramatic horror-movie finale. Good overall, but maybe just not for me.
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
This was a great book club pick that led to good discussion. The central themes here revolve around class, generational wealth, and family dynamics. The characters weren’t always likable and often made regrettable decisions, but I was engaged in their story lines and wanted to find out what happened next. A lot of us agreed in book club that we’d read a sequel, to see where this family ended up after this novel. We actually thought it could have been longer, but it’s great pacing for a quick summer read. I applaud Jackson on her debut and am interested to see what’s next!
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
3.5
My biggest takeaway here is how easy it was to get away with murder 100 years ago! Especially the murder of someone who isn’t white. The lack of initial investigation into the Osage murders is astonishing (though probably some of that is because people were paid off to look the other way). And not that we don’t have corruption and racism now, but at least DNA, fingerprints, and autopsies are de rigueur. The events themselves here are interesting, but the writing didn’t wow me. There was some good contextual research added in, but for such a sensational story, I expected the prose to be more compelling.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Though I don’t often reach for contemporary romance as a genre and while I did not much enjoy Henry’s Happy Place, this was a delightful surprise!
Reading Funny Story felt like watching an early 2000's romcom with your best friends. I actually laughed out loud in a few places. I liked watching our characters both grow individually and together. It was a perfect quick summer read to take outside and enjoy the season. I might give Henry’s backlist another shot!
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
lighthearted
medium-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
Definitely needed a palette cleanser after some disappointing reads, and this felt perfect for that. It’s certainly quite cheesy at parts, but I knew what I was in for. (Especially the spicy scenes, narrated by a sweet older lady lol. Classic bodice-ripper.) I am finding lately I love having a clear visual of a character, and who doesn’t want to picture these two while reading. They’re both so gorgeous, swoon. This is by no means an enlightened feminist love story, but again, I knew was I was getting into and I’m allowed to put aside some of that for a silly little read.
Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Wow thanks, I hated it. 😅 I know some people are obsessed with this series, and I love that for them, but I truly struggled to get through this. I cannot stand a miscommunication trope, which is essentially the whole plot. The characters felt so immature, one-sided, and self-absorbed. I know I was stupid and immature at 22 as well, but yikes I really don’t need to read 500 (!) pages of it. If you like messy drama, go for it, but it just drives me crazy.