lostinabookishworld's reviews
328 reviews

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

adventurous emotional slow-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

This book was okay. There were some great parts that I really enjoyed - loved the relationship (that we finally get) between Kadou and Evemer - but it felt like it took so so long for the story to really get going. The first 40% at least was just slow for me, there were a lot of side characters and sub-plots that took up a ton of time and they just didn't feel necessary to me. I get that this is the first book in a series but there's just not a lot of excitement to want to go back to this world and learn more and be with the characters again.

Puck Block by S.J. Sylvis

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funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.75

This was fun if absolutely ridiculous at times. I know we all come to books for a bit of escapism but the way some of the characters acted felt incredibly over the top. That said, I had fun while reading and enjoyed the story overall.

Ice Bet by S.J. Sylvis

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.75

I liked this story even though the whole ice bet things was a bit convoluted and the locker room talk was gross at times. All that said, I liked both of the main characters, thought they had good chemistry and it was a fun read.

Weak Side by S.J. Sylvis

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Cute and classic fake dating trope with a bunch of forced proximity. The characters were a bit juvenile at times but overall this was a fun read.

Unlikeable Female Characters by Anna Bogutskaya

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informative medium-paced

3.75

I thought this was interesting. Loved the mini deep-dives into different tv and movie characters and while I didn't always agree with what the author was saying and thought it got quite repetitive, I enjoyed the time I spent reading this book.

Favorite quotes:

“The stranglehold pop culture has on us lies in its cyclical nature: it is both a mirror and an influence. There’s a reason moral panics have happened because of books, films, music videos, and video games. The stories and characters we see onscreen, the ones we grow up with, the ones that we enjoy publicly, and the ones that we secretly think are only ours to understand—all those stories influence how we see the world and how we see ourselves.”

“When men get angry onscreen, they're angry at the system. When women are angry onscreen, they're angry at someone. Women are not allowed to be angry at the system, because that would be a tacit acceptance that we're all participants in the oppressive patriarchal structure that create this pressing, everyday anger. Women onscreen are only allowed to be angry at one person, one wrongdoing. Something they can fix. Something that doesn't antagonize audiences too much.”

“There is little more threatening to the social order than a woman who's angry. The only thing scarier is a woman who's angry about something. The only thing scarier than that is a woman who's right.”

PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in less than 24 hours. I'll be honest, at first, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like Maddie because there were times she made choices that were frustrating or refused to communicate, but I felt like the way she moved through her grief was so raw and real that I understood why she did certain things. I applaud Lauren Connolly's writing because there were things that happened in the story that I'm usually so annoyed by in other books but it was handled perfectly here and I enjoyed every second that I was reading this book.

Maddie and Dom's trips and experiences throughout the story were so moving and I thought it was a gorgeous exploration how people handle losing someone so close to them. I loved all their banter, their relationship felt like it moved at a natural pace, and the spice was spicing nicely. Maddie's other relationships in the book were also done so well; the twins were perfection, her friends in Seattle were great, and her mom/grandmother were horrible and I'm glad she got away from them. I haven't read a book where a main character has chronic asthma and I thought the representation was done well.

The last 20% of this book had me crying pretty much the whole time - it was absolutely fantastic. I genuinely can't recommend this book enough, I loved it.

Content Warnings

Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar

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emotional funny hopeful medium-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

4.5

I really liked this book! Second chance romances for me can sometimes be hit or miss but this one was so tender and filled with the perfect amount of longing and tension. You could tell immediately that these were two people who desperately wanted to be together but were pulled apart through misunderstandings and the fact that they were young and dumb and just wanted to be there for each other so badly but did it in ways that inadvertently hurt the other person. Meena and Nikhil's growth in the story was done really well and the chemistry between them was felt throughout the book. I liked the ending even though I do think they both could have benefited by going to couples therapy to learn how to help each other and communicate

Overall, I really liked this story and would honestly read anything that Naina Kumar writes.

The Wingman by Stephanie Archer

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funny lighthearted fast-paced