ali1311's reviews
242 reviews

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Ooh this was EVERYTHING I was hoping it would be!! The wait was well worth it for these characters. This book almost had a different tone than Tessa's others in general and in the series, and I think that's because the relationship was that much more intense and that was reflected in her writing. There were certainly some flaws and times I had to suspend my disbelief--and I simply did not care! This was just a fun read. The tension was insane. I think it's safe to say this is now my favorite book in this series.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was BOGUS! Not at all how I anticipated the series going, but I'm here for it. I am understanding the hype that's for sure.
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The Prospects by KT Hoffman

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

This was a very sweet book! I really liked the characters and found myself rooting for them quickly. Gene's narration style takes a minute to get used to, but once you do, I think it works. This story was clearly very carefully thought out and had a lot of heart.
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Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

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hopeful lighthearted slow-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

2.0

This was pretty disappointing, I hate to say. I think it's because it was so hyped up and I was surprised when it was mid. I cannot suggest not listening to this on audio enough lol I think if I hadn't had to put up with the strange narration from Sage's POV, I would've liked this more. But the characters just felt underdeveloped and they were corny a lot of the time honestly. 
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Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

Ok, I get it, everyone was right about this book! It took a bit to get into it, but once it started to ramp up, I was all in. I loved all of these characters. And the lore of this book is just so interesting and smart. Genuinely just a good book, there's not much else to it. There's definitely a lot going on at first and you have to keep up, but once everything pays off, it pays. off. Can't wait for the next one!
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Proof: A Play by David Auburn

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challenging emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I am low key shocked this won a Pulitzer. Maybe it feels cheesy just because it's older and a lot of the tropes in it weren't as tired then. But this has big "the doctor was a woman" energy. Maybe I'd feel differently if I saw it performed, but this didn't really hit for me. The characters weren't too deep and I'm not sure I liked the structure of time in it.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

This book is very dense, but all of the information in it is interesting and important. It's also a hard read. While it's interesting to learn about the impact of trauma, it's hard to hear about the horrors people put others through, especially children. The book is hopeful however, in showing the ways to move past these horrible things on an individual level. But the epilogue of this book is what is sticking with me most at this point: the call to action on a systemic level. It's so hard to reconcile the need for these interventions and healing methods for trauma while knowing our government and systems at large need to be better in order for this to be fixed. I learned so much through this book and am grateful for all the work the author has done as a researcher to be able to create such a thorough book.
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Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a sweet and fun romance to listen to. It has Ali Hazelwood's classic vibes and is definitely one of her nerdier novels, but it was cute. The ending was wack, and I'm not sure how I felt about the
random gun shit
but otherwise, it was a pretty solid book. A fun way to spend a Saturday!
Emma by Jane Austen

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Soft DNF. Just not in the mood to read this rn and it's boring me. Need something else before I slump.
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This book is somehow even better the second time around. I love it I love it I love it!!