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alexbooksandmore's reviews
218 reviews
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I finally got around to reading (well, listening to) The Summer I Turned Pretty, and while it had the perfect summer vibe—nostalgic, dreamy, and filled with beach house memories—it also felt like a mix of many familiar YA stories.
The story follows Belly, who has always been the little sister figure at the summer house, but this year, she believes everything will be different. The back-and-forth timelines were a great touch, showing how relationships and dynamics evolved over the years. However, the relationships themselves felt… off.
For starters, both love interests—Conrad and Jeremiah—were frustrating. Conrad was brooding, emotionally unavailable, and just plain moody, while Jeremiah was the overly nice guy who was always there as a backup. Their relationship as brothers also felt weirdly distant and lacking warmth. It never truly felt like they were close, and the love triangle just made things more awkward. The fact that Belly spent so much time trying to figure out which one she liked ,even as a kid, made it even more cringeworthy. I get that she’s young and it’s a YA book, but her entire personality seemed to revolve around who liked her and who she liked back.
Beyond the love triangle, I struggled with Belly as a protagonist. She came across as self-centered, rarely considering how her actions affected others. And despite being the center of attention for nearly every male character, she didn’t seem to have genuine*l connections with anyone. Her father clearly tried to be present in her life, but she barely acknowledged his efforts. Even her relationship with her mother felt distant. It was as if she lived in her own little world, where her emotions were the only ones that mattered.
Overall, The Summer I Turned Pretty is an easy, atmospheric read, perfect if you’re looking for a light summer story. But if you’re hoping for deep relationships, strong character development, or a love triangle that doesn’t feel forced, this might not be it. Would I continue the series? Maybe—out of curiosity. But I really hope Belly matures in the next books.
The story follows Belly, who has always been the little sister figure at the summer house, but this year, she believes everything will be different. The back-and-forth timelines were a great touch, showing how relationships and dynamics evolved over the years. However, the relationships themselves felt… off.
For starters, both love interests—Conrad and Jeremiah—were frustrating. Conrad was brooding, emotionally unavailable, and just plain moody, while Jeremiah was the overly nice guy who was always there as a backup. Their relationship as brothers also felt weirdly distant and lacking warmth. It never truly felt like they were close, and the love triangle just made things more awkward. The fact that Belly spent so much time trying to figure out which one she liked ,even as a kid, made it even more cringeworthy. I get that she’s young and it’s a YA book, but her entire personality seemed to revolve around who liked her and who she liked back.
Beyond the love triangle, I struggled with Belly as a protagonist. She came across as self-centered, rarely considering how her actions affected others. And despite being the center of attention for nearly every male character, she didn’t seem to have genuine*l connections with anyone. Her father clearly tried to be present in her life, but she barely acknowledged his efforts. Even her relationship with her mother felt distant. It was as if she lived in her own little world, where her emotions were the only ones that mattered.
Overall, The Summer I Turned Pretty is an easy, atmospheric read, perfect if you’re looking for a light summer story. But if you’re hoping for deep relationships, strong character development, or a love triangle that doesn’t feel forced, this might not be it. Would I continue the series? Maybe—out of curiosity. But I really hope Belly matures in the next books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Terminal illness
Minor: Drug use
The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
As the third book in this series, The Christmas Tree Farm felt a bit repetitive compared to the first two. While the premise was cute and had potential, the predictability of the storyline made it less engaging. There was little suspense or depth to the plot, making it easy to anticipate every twist before it happened.
I'm glad I chose to listen to the audiobook rather than purchasing a physical copy because, unfortunately, it didn’t quite hold my interest. One of the biggest letdowns for me was the character dynamics. Their lack of proper communication, combined with a sense of vanity and superficial conflicts, made it frustrating to read. Instead of an organic and well-developed romance, the relationship felt forced and lacked depth.
This book also reinforced my preference for slow-burn romance with strong character development rather than steamy, surface-level interactions. While I can appreciate why some readers might enjoy the cozy holiday setting, I personally need more substance in character relationships to stay invested.
Overall, while this book might appeal to those who enjoy light, festive reads with a bit of drama, it just didn’t work for me. I think I’ve reached my limit with this series.
I'm glad I chose to listen to the audiobook rather than purchasing a physical copy because, unfortunately, it didn’t quite hold my interest. One of the biggest letdowns for me was the character dynamics. Their lack of proper communication, combined with a sense of vanity and superficial conflicts, made it frustrating to read. Instead of an organic and well-developed romance, the relationship felt forced and lacked depth.
This book also reinforced my preference for slow-burn romance with strong character development rather than steamy, surface-level interactions. While I can appreciate why some readers might enjoy the cozy holiday setting, I personally need more substance in character relationships to stay invested.
Overall, while this book might appeal to those who enjoy light, festive reads with a bit of drama, it just didn’t work for me. I think I’ve reached my limit with this series.
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Before discovering *Wicked*, I had never actually watched *The Wizard of Oz* movie. I was aware of the Broadway musical, but I never got around to seeing it. However, after *Wicked*, I completely fell in love with the story, which led me to watch the classic film and eventually read the original book.
Reading The Wizard of Oz was an entirely different experience from watching the movie. While the film has a whimsical, almost dreamlike quality, the book contains darker moments and a more expansive world. The story is fast-paced, and the flow feels natural, making it an engaging read. Baum's writing is simple yet effective, making it easy to follow and enjoy.
One of the things I found fascinating was how different certain details were from what I had known before. For example, Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers were actually silver in the book. Also, Glinda, the Good Witch, was described with red hair and blue eyes—quite different from her depiction in the Wicked series.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the backstories of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. Their journeys felt more fleshed out, and their desires—brains, a heart, and courage—were explored in a way that made their character arcs even more meaningful.
Overall, I absolutely loved The Wizard of Oz. It’s a magical adventure with deeper themes of friendship, self-discovery, and perseverance. Now that I’ve read this classic, I’m excited to dive into Wicked and explore another perspective on this beloved world.
Reading The Wizard of Oz was an entirely different experience from watching the movie. While the film has a whimsical, almost dreamlike quality, the book contains darker moments and a more expansive world. The story is fast-paced, and the flow feels natural, making it an engaging read. Baum's writing is simple yet effective, making it easy to follow and enjoy.
One of the things I found fascinating was how different certain details were from what I had known before. For example, Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers were actually silver in the book. Also, Glinda, the Good Witch, was described with red hair and blue eyes—quite different from her depiction in the Wicked series.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the backstories of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. Their journeys felt more fleshed out, and their desires—brains, a heart, and courage—were explored in a way that made their character arcs even more meaningful.
Overall, I absolutely loved The Wizard of Oz. It’s a magical adventure with deeper themes of friendship, self-discovery, and perseverance. Now that I’ve read this classic, I’m excited to dive into Wicked and explore another perspective on this beloved world.
The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Festive Nights by Catriona Ward, Natasha Pulley, Laura Purcell, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Bridget Collins, Jess Kidd, Andrew Michael Hurley, Stuart Turton, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Elizabeth Macneal, Susan Stokes-Chapman, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Winter Spirits is an anthology of ghostly tales by twelve different authors, offering just the right level of spookiness for the Christmas season. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to finish it by Christmas, but it still made for an intriguing read afterward.
Despite the relatively short length of each story (30–50 pages), I found it somewhat challenging to adjust to the different writing styles. However, a few stories truly stood out for me: A Double Thread, The Master of the House, and Carol of the Bells and Chains. These were the ones I wished had been longer—I wanted more world-building and a bit more excitement to really immerse myself in them.
Overall, I’d recommend *The Winter Spirits* if you’re in the mood for a chilling yet festive read during the holiday season!
Despite the relatively short length of each story (30–50 pages), I found it somewhat challenging to adjust to the different writing styles. However, a few stories truly stood out for me: A Double Thread, The Master of the House, and Carol of the Bells and Chains. These were the ones I wished had been longer—I wanted more world-building and a bit more excitement to really immerse myself in them.
Overall, I’d recommend *The Winter Spirits* if you’re in the mood for a chilling yet festive read during the holiday season!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Migdală by Won-pyung Sohn
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0
This is what I call a wonderful read.
The book follows the story of Yun-jae, a boy who was born with a problem: he cannot express any feeling - no happiness, no sadness, no fear. Because of that it's very hard to fit in the society. The whole story is written from his point of view - the pov of aomwone who tries to understand what others feel and tey to read social ques and mimics in order to knoe how to respond to things.
Another important character in the book is Gon. Their relationship is so special, for both of them, it's even harder to understand it in the beginning but it does make sense.
This book is about feelings, friendship, lovw and family. The book shoes how conplex feelings are and how hard actually is to understand them, to misinterpreted a smile, or tears or words such as "go away".
This book made me cry as a baby in the end. It is a beautiful story with beautiful writing and amazing growth.
The book follows the story of Yun-jae, a boy who was born with a problem: he cannot express any feeling - no happiness, no sadness, no fear. Because of that it's very hard to fit in the society. The whole story is written from his point of view - the pov of aomwone who tries to understand what others feel and tey to read social ques and mimics in order to knoe how to respond to things.
Another important character in the book is Gon. Their relationship is so special, for both of them, it's even harder to understand it in the beginning but it does make sense.
This book is about feelings, friendship, lovw and family. The book shoes how conplex feelings are and how hard actually is to understand them, to misinterpreted a smile, or tears or words such as "go away".
This book made me cry as a baby in the end. It is a beautiful story with beautiful writing and amazing growth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I liked the first was better than this one.
The best part was all those clues in the books, and every scenewith the bookclub and in the bookstore (maybe i am a hit to book nerd but..). I didn't feel that much chemistry between the 2 MC. And everyone being so damn noisy is annoying tbh.
Liked the happy ending, but would have loved som more actual relationship build up and not just smut..
The best part was all those clues in the books, and every scenewith the bookclub and in the bookstore (maybe i am a hit to book nerd but..). I didn't feel that much chemistry between the 2 MC. And everyone being so damn noisy is annoying tbh.
Liked the happy ending, but would have loved som more actual relationship build up and not just smut..
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
A cute romance between a cafe owner and a hot farmer.. i see this as a christmas movie tbh.. it felt like that vibe of abig girl town comes back into the small town, inherent a business and falls in love with the towns hottie, that has some unresolved ex trauma
Cazul inimii furate by M.K. Lynn
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
This is undoubtedly one of my favorite books to date.
I was captivated by the rich, dark academia atmosphere, and the masterfully crafted storyline had me hooked from start to finish. Each character, with their unique flaws and hidden motives, kept me intrigued as I tried to unravel their complexities along the way.
As a non-native English speaker, the Shakespearean dialogue presented a bit of a challenge—but it was a delightfully rewarding one. It added an authentic layer to the narrative, immersing me further in the world of the characters.
It also left me wondering: do theater students really converse in dialogue as if they’ve stepped out of a play?
This book is a fascinating exploration of art, ambition, and the intricate dynamics of human relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Adulthood Is a Myth by Sarah Andersen
funny
fast-paced
4.0
This feels so relatable.
I love the drawings
I love the drawings