story_goblin's reviews
363 reviews

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.0

I don't normally read romance-focused books, but I was especially intrigued by the comparisons to "You've Got Mail" and "Howl's Moving Castle"; plus, I do love "House in the Cerulean Sea" as well. Admittedly, for the 3/4ths of it, I was vastly more invested in the world-building and subplot/mystery than I was the romance aspect, but that's to be expected from me. And boy, is that world-building something! I am fascinated by this world & its mythos! There were times when I wished that this world had been invented by Brandon Sanderson so that the balance to world-building & romance would be more my preferred style. At roughly the 2/3rds-3/4ths mark, the subplot starts really taking precedence in a way that feels really satisfying- that stuff wasn't there to just carry or drag out the romance, it was actually important. I was planning to give it 3.5 stars, but the ending really sold it for me. I liked it, but I'm not sure yet if I'll continue the series. If it would help me on my book club bingo card, I probably will at some point.
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous dark funny reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Fast paced action AND thought-provoking at the same time, plus classic Sanderson wit. I see hints in here for the style of humor that was used much more heavily in Frugal Wizard. I look forward to continuing.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really liked the main plot of this book and its overall celebration of humanity. There was a section through the middle where the timeline hopping got a bit too frequent for my taste, but otherwise it was good. 
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book is extremely difficult to describe. It’s funny, there’s an investigative mystery, it borders on thriller in places, there’s some Les Mis vibes??; it’s a lot of things at once. Although I understand it’s reflective of the setting, I personally struggled in places with the misogyny and violence. It was extremely vivid and griping. I will definitely be reading the second one soon.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

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emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I’m very glad my friend talked me into this one! It’s not entirely in my normal range, but well worth the deviation. Despite the content warnings in general, this book is very hopeful, funny, and full of love.
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A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

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adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was such a sweet story! I love Min-Lee’s earnestness and bravery. Also, I enjoyed the story-telling style of the stories within the story. 
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

While the focus on romantic love is not exactly my usual favorite, I always love Garber’s extremely vivid prose that really immerses you in the world.
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

While this particular one didn’t resonate with me as much as certain other ones, I still love this series. If you made it to book 9, then you know what to expect out of her writing and storytelling. This one is more of an ensemble cast as many members of Miss Eleanor’s school experience inner conflict when they realize that Antsy (from the previous book) could likely find their doors for them- do they want to go back at all? Are they ready to go back right now? Should they take the “easy” way back?