unheardmelokate's reviews
2914 reviews

Dungeons & Drama by Kristy Boyce

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emotional lighthearted 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

3.75

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas

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

3.5

The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Stella and Marigold by Annie Barrows

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

3.5

Girlmode by Magdalene Visaggio

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance by Josh Ulrich

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.0

Middle school is not off to a great start for sixth grader Rami Ahmed. Not only did his best friend ditch him for no apparent reason, but a painting has gone missing at the museum where his mom works - and both Rami and his mom are suspects! When Rami starts seeing a mysterious, floating girl around the museum - the same girl who features in the missing painting - he's sure she's the key to solving this mystery. Can Rami, along with the help of an aspiring-sleuth classmate and an artistically-inclined turtle, clear his and his mother's names?

While the mystery itself is fairly predictable, cozy mystery fans will enjoy this latest story from Jasmine Warga for its characters and heart.
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

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emotional funny 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

As Jane Austen once said, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Young George Kingsley may not be a man in the traditional sense, but they have just inherited their father's estate - and they'd love a wife, if only 1800s England was more open-minded. Instead, they must dress as a girl and pretend their neighbor Eleanor Woodford is nothing more than a dear friend.

Except... Eleanor has never wanted to marry a man either. And now that George is "too busy" to spend time with Eleanor, she's started to wonder if her feelings for George might go beyond mere friendship.

Set in Surrey and London in 1807, I Shall Never Fall in Love takes on issues of race, class, gender, attraction, and mental health, all while maintaining a surprisingly light-hearted tone. The main and supporting cast are (for the most part) endearing, and readers will cheer on their happy endings. Conner's illustrations pair beautifully with the story, featuring expressive characters and colorful backdrops.

All-told, this is a charming historical romance sure to appeal to fans of Heartstopper, The Prince and the Dressmaker, Check, Please!, or even Jane Austen herself.
The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

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adventurous dark emotional tense 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

3.0

After her mother is killed and her home destroyed, eighteen-year-old Seraphine Marchant finds sanctuary with the Order of Cloaks, one of two feuding factions that rule the underworld in Fantome. Utilizing Shade, a magical - and illegal - powder used to manipulate shadows, Cloaks steal while rival Daggers murder. And Seraphine is the latest target of heir-apparent Dahger Ransom Hale. As Seraphine and Random play cat-and-mouse across the city, sparks start to fly - and new dangers begin to emerge from the shadows of Fantome.

I was drawn to this title for its similarities to The Night Circus, a comparison that is in some ways (magical rivals) apt. However, The Dagger and the Flame sits much more squarely in the increasingly popular romantasy genre, and with it's steamy enemies-to-lovers plot, this series opener is sure to appeal to adult readers or YA romantasy as well as older high schoolers who enjoy Sabaa Tahir, Shelby Mahurin, or Leigh Bardugo.