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rashellyreads's reviews
43 reviews
Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I...I am infuriated that this book wasn’t longer. Why!!???!!!! Why did I have to finish it so quickly??!!!? Prince Charming is like every single Wattpad “enemies to lovers” story, cheesy, cute, and heartbreaking. When reaching the end, I wanted to cry because it just wasn’t satisfying enough. I want more! I need more! The main character is practically swimming in a sea of cute boys and somehow it still wasn’t enough to quench my thirst.
I honestly wasn’t expecting the amount of layers that came with Seb and Ellie, the two most frustrating characters (in my opinion). I practically jumped for joy when it was revealed that they weren’t as two-dimensional as I thought they were. And Miles is literally so cute, like what the heck! My heart aches for a Miles Montgomery!! And I love the dynamic that comes with Daisy and her best friend Isabel. The friendship is a cliché, seen in basically every single Wattpad and teen drama show I’ve ever heard of. And...I’m here for it!!
So cute and a fast read! I was laughing my face off at times, cringing from second-hand embarrassment, and falling in love. It may be a Hallmark cliche, but I’d read it again just to feed the “enemies to lovers”-sized hole in my heart.
I honestly wasn’t expecting the amount of layers that came with Seb and Ellie, the two most frustrating characters (in my opinion). I practically jumped for joy when it was revealed that they weren’t as two-dimensional as I thought they were. And Miles is literally so cute, like what the heck! My heart aches for a Miles Montgomery!! And I love the dynamic that comes with Daisy and her best friend Isabel. The friendship is a cliché, seen in basically every single Wattpad and teen drama show I’ve ever heard of. And...I’m here for it!!
So cute and a fast read! I was laughing my face off at times, cringing from second-hand embarrassment, and falling in love. It may be a Hallmark cliche, but I’d read it again just to feed the “enemies to lovers”-sized hole in my heart.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
adventurous
tense
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
5.0
At first, upon reading this, it took me a second to truly get into it. The writing was kind of slow during some chapters but then the plot would move too fast, the general writing of the book was difficult to grasp. But then I just got pulled into the plot with all the different twists and turns.
First of all, I was told that this book was an enemies-to-lovers story, and although that may be true, I don’t really see it. I think that’s because when meeting the love interest, I fell in love with her immediately. They’re relationship was strained at first but they quickly became friends. I would say that it’s more of a enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story.
Another thing I loved about Girl, Serpent, Thorn was that I fell in love with the antagonist. I hate him, of course, because he’s the worst but I’m getting major Loki vibes. And I’m in love with Loki. Melissa Bashardoust does a great job of making the reader feel bad for the antagonist. One chapter I would feel sad for him and then another chapter I wanted to strangle him.
Lastly, I liked that the author incorporated mythology, history, and her culture into the book. I’ve never been exposed to Iranian culture in this way so reading “Shah”, “Shahzadeh”, “div”, and “parik” was new and fun. And the character’s names are so beautiful I had to take a moment when reading them for the first time. Soraya, Parvaneh, Sorush, Azad, and so on.
The incorporation of poison, serpents, and thorns was almost as amazing as the underlining theme of feminism. Strong women, sisterhood, friendship, and lesbian love. I’m so here for it! The bringing down of the male protagonist to his knees, gay panic, the feeling of being dangerous. All of it, I’m here for it!! This is an amazing book and I highly recommend!!
First of all, I was told that this book was an enemies-to-lovers story, and although that may be true, I don’t really see it. I think that’s because when meeting the love interest, I fell in love with her immediately. They’re relationship was strained at first but they quickly became friends. I would say that it’s more of a enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story.
Another thing I loved about Girl, Serpent, Thorn was that I fell in love with the antagonist. I hate him, of course, because he’s the worst but I’m getting major Loki vibes. And I’m in love with Loki. Melissa Bashardoust does a great job of making the reader feel bad for the antagonist. One chapter I would feel sad for him and then another chapter I wanted to strangle him.
Lastly, I liked that the author incorporated mythology, history, and her culture into the book. I’ve never been exposed to Iranian culture in this way so reading “Shah”, “Shahzadeh”, “div”, and “parik” was new and fun. And the character’s names are so beautiful I had to take a moment when reading them for the first time. Soraya, Parvaneh, Sorush, Azad, and so on.
The incorporation of poison, serpents, and thorns was almost as amazing as the underlining theme of feminism. Strong women, sisterhood, friendship, and lesbian love. I’m so here for it! The bringing down of the male protagonist to his knees, gay panic, the feeling of being dangerous. All of it, I’m here for it!! This is an amazing book and I highly recommend!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
If I could give this book anymore stars than just five, I would! I started reading The Scorpio Races a little scared that I wasn’t going to like it because I’m not a big fan of horses. Like, horses aren’t my favorite animal. But boy was I wrong! I fell in love with this book after reading just the first couple of chapters. I love the aesthetic around the setting of the book: the island, the sea, dangerous horses that come from the sea, a race that defies love. It truly captured my attention instantaneously.
Puck Connolly might just be the best character I’ve ever read about. Her personality, her strongly felt (but well hidden) emotions, and her bravery is what really made me love her. And Sean Kendrick!! Oh my! Even his name is gorgeous! I have to say, I haven’t fallen in love with a male character in so long, not since Tobias Eaton from Divergent. But I learned very early in the book that Sean was going to be my weakness. The way he races for Corr but also supports Puck unconditionally was, dare I say, the hottest thing I read.
This book is a must read. So good that I’m actually a little bit disappointed that there isn’t a sequel!
Puck Connolly might just be the best character I’ve ever read about. Her personality, her strongly felt (but well hidden) emotions, and her bravery is what really made me love her. And Sean Kendrick!! Oh my! Even his name is gorgeous! I have to say, I haven’t fallen in love with a male character in so long, not since Tobias Eaton from Divergent. But I learned very early in the book that Sean was going to be my weakness. The way he races for Corr but also supports Puck unconditionally was, dare I say, the hottest thing I read.
This book is a must read. So good that I’m actually a little bit disappointed that there isn’t a sequel!
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At first, I was a little skeptical at how much I would actually like this book. Personally, I’m not the camping type, so I went into this book with caution and an open-mind. And, I actually really loved it! Wren Clemmens is one of those female characters I can look up to. I love following her story and relating with her. And, to be completely honest, I loved learning all those survival skills. I think it’s safe to say I really want to go camping in the desert after reading about Wren. Another thing I absolutely adore about this book is the character development. And not just Wren’s, all the characters. Everyone learns and bonds and I really love the scenes where everyone is laughing and hanging out. You really grow with the characters. The ending was refreshing and happy, which I appreciated a lot. DEFINITELY recommend this book.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
emotional
informative
reflective
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
5.0
I don’t remember a lot from my first time reading “Dear Martin”, but this has been my second time and I’ve completely devoured it in a matter of hours.
I first read this book before the George Floyd murder, when Black Lives Matter was a movement that most looked over. After educating myself and surrounding myself and my social media feeds with Black people and their experiences, I feel that I’ve gained more from Justyce McAllister and his story.
Justyce is a very unique character and I’m glad I got a look inside his life, which represents the lives of a lot of Black youth in America. This book is one of the firsts that I’ve annotated and I can assure you that from seeing Jus’s experiences through his eyes, I’ve gotten angry a lot but I’ve also learned a lot.
From Jus himself to Manny, to SJ, and to Doc, I’ve learned about my own White privilege. I related a lot to SJ specifically because she is White and takes a very liberal stand. She has no problem getting into confrontation, which isn’t surprising considering she is Justyce’s debate partner. What I liked a lot about her, since she is a White character written in a book about racial inequality, is that SJ acknowledges her privilege and takes accountability. In one chapter she apologizes to Jus for speaking for him, which reiterates the whole “Don’t speak FOR or OVER Black people, instead raise their voices.” Basically, she’s all about using her privilege as a way to help oppressed minorities. She’s so awesome!
Another character that I admired (somewhat) that isn’t Jus was Jared Christensen. Throughout the entire beginning and middle half, he was one of the biggest reasons I tabbed the book with the color red when annotating. But his character development really shines through near the end, especially in the epilogue. It shows that he’s learned. And I was glad to see that Jus was that person who taught him.
This book is just an all-around must-read. It taught me a lot — opened my eyes even — and I think that it should be on everyone’s TBR.
I first read this book before the George Floyd murder, when Black Lives Matter was a movement that most looked over. After educating myself and surrounding myself and my social media feeds with Black people and their experiences, I feel that I’ve gained more from Justyce McAllister and his story.
Justyce is a very unique character and I’m glad I got a look inside his life, which represents the lives of a lot of Black youth in America. This book is one of the firsts that I’ve annotated and I can assure you that from seeing Jus’s experiences through his eyes, I’ve gotten angry a lot but I’ve also learned a lot.
From Jus himself to Manny, to SJ, and to Doc, I’ve learned about my own White privilege. I related a lot to SJ specifically because she is White and takes a very liberal stand. She has no problem getting into confrontation, which isn’t surprising considering she is Justyce’s debate partner. What I liked a lot about her, since she is a White character written in a book about racial inequality, is that SJ acknowledges her privilege and takes accountability. In one chapter she apologizes to Jus for speaking for him, which reiterates the whole “Don’t speak FOR or OVER Black people, instead raise their voices.” Basically, she’s all about using her privilege as a way to help oppressed minorities. She’s so awesome!
Another character that I admired (somewhat) that isn’t Jus was Jared Christensen. Throughout the entire beginning and middle half, he was one of the biggest reasons I tabbed the book with the color red when annotating. But his character development really shines through near the end, especially in the epilogue. It shows that he’s learned. And I was glad to see that Jus was that person who taught him.
This book is just an all-around must-read. It taught me a lot — opened my eyes even — and I think that it should be on everyone’s TBR.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence and Violence
The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Jackaby by William Ritter
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Five stars isn’t enough, man. This book is everything I’ve always wanted. I would describe it as a Sherlock Holmes novel with a dash of Supernatural. The book said Buffy the Vampire Slayer was more like it, but I’ve only ever seen Supernatural. I loved the adventures Abigail Rook and Jackaby went on. And let’s be honest, Charlie’s freaking cute. The murders were thrilling, as always, and I found the conflict between Marlowe and Jackaby similar to the police department and Sherlock. I LOVED Jenny. I think she might be my favorite character. She’s super kind, optimistic, and full of life, which is ironic since she’s a ghost. Douglas? What a cool guy, I like him. The amount of dialogue was super fun to read, especially when reading out loud. Love love loved it!
Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
I've been following Christine's YouTube channel for about 4 years, anxiously awaiting this novel ever since the first BOOK WRITING episode came out. I set my expectations pretty high, to be honest. And, I'm telling you, I was NOT disappointed. Christine adds so much of herself and I think that's very important when it comes to writing. I enjoyed reading it and pointing out all the things that reminded me of her; Sawyer, yoga, Taylor Swift, "Lost", "Harry Potter" and "The Mortal Instruments". I don't know about anyone else, but many of the things Shane went through hit way too close to home to the point where I didn't know how to feel. I was so overwhelmed after reading most of the scenes, I just had to put the book down at one point and cry for about an hour. Shane's overly strict parent, her uncontrollable crush on a really cute boy, her family being unbearable when it comes to personal things. They're all something I can relate to.
This book has really surprised me, and that's nowhere near supposed to be an insult. This book was really something I needed and spoke deeply to me. I laughed, I cried, I got the heart-pounding-giddy-from-head-to-toe fangirl feels. I highly recommend reading this! It kept me on the edge of my seat, keeping me reading all day. To call it a page-turner is an understatement.
(Also, if you don't have an exclusive copy with all the extra Behind the Scenes in the back, GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE, AT LEAST)
This book has really surprised me, and that's nowhere near supposed to be an insult. This book was really something I needed and spoke deeply to me. I laughed, I cried, I got the heart-pounding-giddy-from-head-to-toe fangirl feels. I highly recommend reading this! It kept me on the edge of my seat, keeping me reading all day. To call it a page-turner is an understatement.
(Also, if you don't have an exclusive copy with all the extra Behind the Scenes in the back, GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE, AT LEAST)
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Legendary by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0