aliciachelbeck's reviews
423 reviews

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective relaxing slow-paced

5.0

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead

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emotional funny hopeful informative 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

4.5

The Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell by K.J. Aiello

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

a memoir that makes you think about mental health in media and how it is portrayed - which in turn affects how we treat people with mental health issues

Content Warnings

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

I loved this novel. It was very well written. I loved the way the author highlighted not only the systemic barriers to economic advancements to indigenous people/Native Americans, but also family power dynamics that were relatable to a wider audience (eldest daughter representation!).

I was actually angry at the main character at one point which I always view as a marker for a Good Book. I think a hallmark of good writing is when you have an emotional response to the words written by a stranger. I laughed, cried, and then cried again (happy tears).

I thought the third act breakup was believable, and it was so refreshing that it wasn't a miscommunication issue for the characters to work through. I especially loved the banter between the two characters. I will definitely be rereading this!!

Clean Point by Meg Jones

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced