alexsbookishadventures's reviews
181 reviews

Holly’s Fake Date for Christmas by Ann Omasta

emotional lighthearted relaxing 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? No

2.25

I really enjoyed the Christmas story, but something just wasn't right about this book. Although Zane is very charming, I just couldn't get over the fact that he didn't say anything to Holly. The book also felt so rushed again, so I couldn't get attached to the characters. Everything felt too forced and the relationship just ran way too fast. Also, Holly was not my favourite woman, but that might also be because this book was way too short. And why does the epilogue take place at the same time as the rest of the book? It just felt like the last chapter, and I would have preferred to see a wedding or the birth of the child in the future. 

Kerstmis in New York by Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland

emotional lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

1.5

The book was really too short to write a comprehensive review. I really liked the idea, but it felt too rushed. The book definitely could have done with some extra pages to flesh everything out. It didn't feel right to me. And I didn't actually like Margo that much. 

Alles draait om kerst by Iris Visser

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

Dit kerstverhaal is echt een schot in de roos! Het boek had alles wat een goed kerstverhaal moet hebben: een sterke, grappige vrouw, een knappe enemy en heel veel plagen, geflirt en liefde. Ik vond het tempo in dit boek geweldig. Het voelde aan als een volwaardig boek en niet gehaast, wat meestal het geval is in kerstboeken. Iris heeft een mooie, vlotte schrijfstijl die vol humor en romantiek zit. Het hele verhaal sprak me zeker aan en het vechten en enemies-to-lovers was perfect uitgewerkt. Kan er dit jaar een Olivier onder mijn kerstboom liggen?

Deze winter by Alice Oseman

emotional lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

After reading Heartstopper, this is such a cute, short Christmas story. 
We spend Christmas with Charlie's family and that family is anything but sweet to him. He is confronted with his eating disorder and homosexuality. It is bad that even his parents blame him for everything and treat him badly. I am really big fan of Tori and want to give her a big hug most of el. Nick is also sweet, and always makes Charlie feel safe. For me, this story could definitely have been a bit longer and I want to find out more about Tori.

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

I must say I really did enjoy this book. VE Schwab has an enchanting writing style and I was sucked into the story. I was more hesitant because I had read many comments saying that nothing really happened in the book, but that was precisely the beauty of the story. It was very realistic and flowed nicely with the necessary tension at the end. The main characters were enjoyable and each had a nice, sad story to tell, which was then spent enough time on. I really liked the diary excerpts and drawings and this really added to the book. This made the book read very smoothly and got me out of my slump. The book definitely could have been longer for me, purely because I was so sucked into the story and Olivia's life. Matthew was also definitely an intriguing character. He comes across as surly in the beginning, but is actually a sweetheart who just wants to protect Olivia. The book was very dark and sinister, yet there was a kind of lightheartedness. I really highly recommend this book.

Hoe vermoord ik mijn familie? by Bella Mackie

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

1.25

This book was really everything a book should not be. It was boring, drawn-out, lacked action and the main character was simply irritating. I expected to see inside Grace's head as she plotted and carried out the murders, but instead we get snippets from the past with a diary. The story did start well as we dive straight into the murders and there was good suspense around why she ended up in prison for a murder she didn't commit. But that's where my enthusiasm ends too. Grace is such a zagging human being and her anti-feminism really got the better of me. I can understand the hate somewhere, but this is just borderline deranged. I wish the writer might have given more clues to mental illness, because this is really not the act of a sane person. Grace possesses nothing but hatred, towards everything and everyone. Not only her family had to suffer, but all women, Asians, rich people, ... got a big helping of hate on them. I'm sure there are better ways to get revenge on your father.

The highlight of the whole story is still that she didn't kill her father :)

And whence did Harry suddenly come at the end? I didn't understand it at all and this also added nothing to the story. And once again a man had to come and steal the show and claim a woman's achievements. 
The writer's only plus is great creativity, because who comes up with frog juices as drugs? 

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

This book was a really good YA mystery, but still lacked something for me. The plot started very slowly and hardly anything happened until the last few pages. The growth of the characters is the big focus, and so I found the characters very interesting. They each have their own story, but again everything feels so stereotypical. As in One Of Us Is Lying, the mystery falls into the background and I don't feel like I'm joining in the search for who did it. While it is nice that the we see the 'core four' return once more, I felt like they were taking over the story. The relationships between the characters, while great, also took over the story again. Mystery always does romance best though :) The final reveal of who it is is so anti-climactic, he had nothing to do with the whole story and just appaered out of nowhere. I can say I wouldn't have guessed, but I wasn't sitting with my mouth open with excitement either. This book had the perfect stepping stone to be great, but the writer still left something out. 

Het einde by Elle Kennedy

emotional funny lighthearted sad 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

4.25

LOVE IT! I know the first time I read this, I was a little less overwhelmed by the story as I am now. I wasn't a big fan of Dean, but that has definitely grown now. I was giggling the whole time and loving it. I needed a break after fantasy books and school, and this book was read in a jerk. It was so addictive that I read spicy scenes on the train for the first time, haha. The story is so compelling and the characters' feelings are expressed perfectly. I also love how their love slowly grows and there is no pressure at all. And the 'Call Dean' scene, absolutely amazing! I did miss a bit more of Dean's transition to love and obsession with Allie. Allie really is a sweetheart with real emotions and I so want to be friends with her. All the side characters fitted perfectly into the story and still brought something to it.

I'm still not over Beau's death and knowing that Dean named his son Beau makes it 10 times worse.

The off-campus series remains my guilty pleasure and I'm going to keep re-reading them until my eyes fall out.

De ballade van slangen en zangvogels by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

OMG I enjoyed this book so much! I thought it was so much better written and deeper than the first Hunger Games trilogy. 
In the beginning of the story, you're still meant to have sympathy for Coriolanus (okay, wtf is that name), but as the games progress, this breaks down completely. We do get more background into the war and the origins of the games, which I love. I'm a really big fan of Lucy Gray and think she really is a badass woman. And the subtle references to Katniss are great. I regretted that we get very little from the games themselves. The whole part after the games felt so drawn out, with no real contribution to the story.

And the ending, wtf, why was that necessary? I want to know what happened to Lucy. Is she still alive? And why did Sejanus have to die? Totally unnecessary! Collins has a love for cold-bloodedly killing off the best characters.

I can't wait to go see the film in the cinema!

Ricochet by Krista Ritchie

emotional lighthearted reflective sad 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

4.0

Yes, this book was definitely an upgrade over the first volume! I enjoyed this so much and wanted to read more and more. 
This book focused more on healing Lily's addiction and it was so beautifully explained. She had her depths, but through her friends and family, she found the strength to come out of it. We also saw her love towards Lo grow and this time not in a destructive way. Her emotions felt so raw and pure and I could completely sympathise in Lily's mind. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Lo and his path to sobriety, and his emotions, though. And besides, the flirtation between Ryke and Daisy was so much fun! While it's unfortunate that she's underage, there's no going over the top, and I can't wait to see the romance between these 2 grow. Also, the relationship between Rose and Connor is so pure and fun. This book is not just about love, but friendship and family shape us into the person we are. 
I can't wait to dive into the next part!