an_average_reader's reviews
215 reviews

Loveless by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.25

I LOVED ALL THE REPRESENTATION IN THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It hit close to home and I was happy to read about an ace-aro main character figuring things out. The representation was great and was just as complicated as it should have been. Am I this? Or maybe I'm this? Oh, wait this exists? Georgia's journey was complicated and there were many conflicts she had to get through. She was not perfect and made mistakes, but grew from them. I love Alice Oseman and she did not disappoint with this book at all! 

Nice to Meet You by Wishroomness

lighthearted

4.0

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli, Aisha Saeed

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-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

4.25

This was a great read! I loved how the characters cared so strongly for a cause and were invested in it. The romance was really cute and I liked Jamie and Maya’s dynamic. It has a lot of representation which is always amazing to see. 

After the Ink Dries by Cassie Gustafson

dark emotional reflective sad

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.25

I Killed Zoe Spanos was a great mysterious read. I was really invested in the plot and characters. Definitely did not expect the end result and it makes me want to go back and look for little clues I missed before. I listened to the audiobook and it was great! I recommend it, especially the podcast sections, which were done really well. 

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

adventurous mysterious tense 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

4.5

This was a nice interesting read that I knocked out in a day. I liked the characters and the plot was intriguing. I did predict one of the plot twists in a passing thought and I turned out to be right. I am excited to see how the story and characters develop in later books. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

The first half of the book was slower and we were just spending time with the characters building up to the big twists. The second half was a page turner as things were changing so often. I liked some of the twists but they were a bit hard to believe at times. I liked the first book slightly better just because of the puzzles and twists. This one had a bigger emphasis on the love triangle which I’m not a huge fan of. I did enjoy getting to know the characters better and learning more about them. I am excited to read the final book and see how it all comes together.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

      I can't find the words to describe this book. Incredible, amazing, heartbreaking. None of them come even close. Can I give it ten stars, please? 
     
      The characters carved their way into my heart more than in the first book. Even the new ones (I'm looking at you, Caldon) I've grown to care about. I loved diving deeper and spending more time with them. We see Kiva struggling with PTSD after Zalindov, the intense prison she was stuck in for ten years. Throughout the book, she suffers from guilt after every decision and action she makes, knowing what she has to do. 
  
    I loved getting to see Jaron and Tipp again. Jaron is in his element, and we learn how great he is as a leader. Kiva and his relationship grow as they get closer to each other.
    
    The plot was slow-moving at the beginning but started to pick up towards the middle. And when it picked up, it did not let us down. Lynette Noni created a tense, suspenseful plot that had me constantly turning the page. There were so many unexpected plot twists, especially the ending. The whole ending was intense and had me crying. 
   
    I NEED THE FINALE NOW! It left off on such a cliffhanger, and I need to know what happens next. I have never wanted the next book in a series more than this. I definitely will be thinking about The Guilded Cage for a long time after this.    
         
   

   

As If On Cue by Marisa Kanter

lighthearted

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

4.0