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shutupiamreading's reviews
1235 reviews
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
This breaks my heart honestly. I’ve loved all of Ali Hazelwood’s first 3 books for their banter and academic focus/setting. Had I known going into this one that it would be so focused on steam/smut I probably would’ve just given it a pass. I know a lot of people will love this, but it’s all the things I don’t love and missing the things I usually love from her characters and scenes.
Cross My Heart by Megan Collins
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was an easy and entertaining read. But only if you don’t mind an overly whacky and too convoluted plot and a main character who makes very dumb decisions.
Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I don't even know where to start with this book. It's so unlike anything I've ever read and I loved every page.
I went into this expecting a dark and bleak speculative fiction story, but what I got was a beautiful and reflective story exploring Black joy, what it means to be Black, the complexities and diversities of different kinds of Blackness. This was so beautifully written and I loved all the different narratives that were incorporated. But most of all, I loved how ultimately this was a story about how beautiful Black joy can be. Both of the main characters' development is complex but wonderful to read about, and I honestly wish this book was a 100 pages longer because I loved the writing and insights so much.
I went into this expecting a dark and bleak speculative fiction story, but what I got was a beautiful and reflective story exploring Black joy, what it means to be Black, the complexities and diversities of different kinds of Blackness. This was so beautifully written and I loved all the different narratives that were incorporated. But most of all, I loved how ultimately this was a story about how beautiful Black joy can be. Both of the main characters' development is complex but wonderful to read about, and I honestly wish this book was a 100 pages longer because I loved the writing and insights so much.
Evenings & Weekends by Oisín McKenna
reflective
sad
slow-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
What a stunning debut. I read this in a day during (very aptly) a summer heatwave, and I couldn't put it down.
It's hard to believe this is a debut, because the writing is utterly stunning and the way in which the different storylines intertwine is so well done. I loved the messiness of it all, the complicated relationships, and how it showed life decisions you don't often see represented in books.
It's hard to believe this is a debut, because the writing is utterly stunning and the way in which the different storylines intertwine is so well done. I loved the messiness of it all, the complicated relationships, and how it showed life decisions you don't often see represented in books.
A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I probably should've DNF'ed this early on and listened to my gut, but here we are.
On the upside: I liked the Wordle thing being added as a cute little feature, and the setting in Prince Edward Island.
On the downside: this main character was utterly insufferable, judgmental, kinda dumb, and written as a 15yo, not a 27yo. Her obsession with living a big city life and finding her dream job made her seem arrogant and I honestly don't get why any of these people wanted to be friends with someone who so clearly looked down on them and their lives. Let alone that she doesn't seem to be able to accept the love interest until he's made certain moves to 'dream bigger' while he was perfectly content with his small town life. And the way she talked about how she 'loved old people because they're so cute' just seemed so demeaning, especially for someone aspiring to have a career in elderly care.
The whole second half of the book also seemed incredibly rushed for such a massive decision. The character's lack of preparation for such a big decision just added to how stupid and young she seemed.
On the upside: I liked the Wordle thing being added as a cute little feature, and the setting in Prince Edward Island.
On the downside: this main character was utterly insufferable, judgmental, kinda dumb, and written as a 15yo, not a 27yo. Her obsession with living a big city life and finding her dream job made her seem arrogant and I honestly don't get why any of these people wanted to be friends with someone who so clearly looked down on them and their lives. Let alone that she doesn't seem to be able to accept the love interest until he's made certain moves to 'dream bigger' while he was perfectly content with his small town life. And the way she talked about how she 'loved old people because they're so cute' just seemed so demeaning, especially for someone aspiring to have a career in elderly care.
The whole second half of the book also seemed incredibly rushed for such a massive decision. The character's lack of preparation for such a big decision just added to how stupid and young she seemed.
The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Not the right time to read this since I just read something similar - may come back to this.
Death in the Downline by Maria Abrams
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
While I enjoyed this book, I think it’s being completely mismarketed. The cutesy cover and descriptions of it being ‘witty’ and ‘cozy mystery’ are really inappropriate for the dark and sad kind of story this is.
MLMs are pure evil and it’s true that the subject matter lends itself to a solid murder mystery, but it’s unfair to go into this expecting it to be funny and cozy. This book peels back the layers of toxic feminism/girl boss ethics, preying on poor communities, and many more sinister subjects. If you’re familiar with MLMs, this won’t be anything new, but it’s still well done.
MLMs are pure evil and it’s true that the subject matter lends itself to a solid murder mystery, but it’s unfair to go into this expecting it to be funny and cozy. This book peels back the layers of toxic feminism/girl boss ethics, preying on poor communities, and many more sinister subjects. If you’re familiar with MLMs, this won’t be anything new, but it’s still well done.
One True Loves by Elise Bryant
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Red River Road by Anna Downes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Only 10 pages in, but I realised when flipping through this book that there are wayyyy too many POVs.
I also accidentally read a spoiler about the ending/reveal and it's probably my most hated trope in mysteries, so it's a big fat nope for me.
I also accidentally read a spoiler about the ending/reveal and it's probably my most hated trope in mysteries, so it's a big fat nope for me.