bfrance99's reviews
322 reviews

The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

I will read pretty much anything that Philippa Gregory writes, and enjoyed this one as much as any other. The plot wasn’t quite as strong as her others in the series, but the exploration of Robert and Amy Dudley’s characters and relationship was fascinating. Robert Dudley in particular is an incredibly interesting courtier, and Elizabeth is a well-known and equally interesting monarch. Amy Dudley/Roshart is much less famous, and remembered for only one thing. Philippa Gregory’s interpretation of events in her ‘best guess’ story isn’t what I instinctively agree with, but as always, I’m impressed by her thoughtfulness and consideration, especially in reflecting of female characters who are often overshadowed by their male counterparts. 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

This was *slightly* better than Shatter Me, as the writing was *slightly* more developed and the storyline more fast-paced. But the writing is still juvenile, and it reads more like a Wattpad stream of consciousness story. The main character makes me so frustrated, and I still can’t see the appeal of Warner. I only really liked Kenji and James. But will I read the rest of the series? Probably, because I have the later books, and I genuinely want to see if they get better. 

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

dark 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? It's complicated

3.0

The world of San-Er, the concept of ‘jumping’ and the competition to the death were all elements that I loved and drew me in right from the start. And yet it just wasn’t fleshed out enough - there was no depth to the political system or the city’s history, and there were too many inconsistencies with the magic system and the character motivations. The characters themselves were a bit bland (Mao Mao excluded), although I did actually like the romance between Calla and Anton. I was leaning more towards not reading the next book, up until the last page of the book, because I honestly didn’t see that last twist coming. 

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

dark tense 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

This has been a long anticipated read of mine, and it did live up to its expectations, although it didn’t completely blow me away. It has set up the world and the characters very well for the second and third books, which I’m super excited to read. Kell and Lila (especially Lila) were great main characters to root for, and I really hope we get more on both of their backstories. The plot in this first book was a bit predictable and my interest was diverted in places, which is why I can’t give more than four stars, but the writing and the world was great. 

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-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

5.0

I immediately fell in love with this book, with Avonlea and most of all, with Anne. Even though it’s considered children’s fiction, it can definitely be read and enjoyed at any age. Anne’s character is heartwarming and authentic; she’s full of curiosity and her beautiful thoughts spill out of her. Her friendship with Diana is so genuine, and her bond with Marilla and Matthew grows throughout. I was surprised about how much time passed from beginning to end (about five years), and I imagine the later books will go into her adult adventures - although I will surely miss her silly, childish mistakes! 

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

I really liked Francesca - she might be my favourite of the Bridgerton sisters. But I wasn’t a huge fan of her romance with Michael - I just couldn’t get behind the ick of Michael and John being cousins (basically brothers) and some of the controlling stuff Michael said (the way he seduced her into getting married, and wanted her to get pregnant so she’d be forced to marry him). I probably would have preferred Francesca and John’s love story! I still loved the Bridgerton world and the writing. I’ll be reading on for Gregory and Hyacinth’s stories. 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

An incredibly unique and powerful fantasy book, about innocence, identity, mental illness and belonging. I was immediately captivated by the House, with its Halls and Tides giving almost an eerie, dark academia setting. The main character, Piranesi, intrigued me, and his mental journey as the plot and his mind unravels was brilliantly written. This is truly a one-in-a-million book and I wish I could forget it all, just to reread it again. 

Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon

emotional hopeful medium-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

4.5

I’m not normally a romance girly, but I just loved this book. The writing let me fall straight into the world, and I really liked the main character, Wren. I especially liked the theme of family and repairing family ties, especially with her half-sister, Bailey - I got quite emotional during parts. The ‘twist’ I didn’t see coming at all, and the ending wrapped everything up really well. 

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

I’ve only ever read The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, so I wasn’t sure what to expect… but it wasn’t this. I have no idea what to make of this book. Nothing happened? And the characters seemed spurious and irritated me the whole time. The men were incredibly weak. Zenia was obviously unlikeable but at least interesting - Tony, Charis and Roz’s lives felt like trauma porn and I didn’t gel with them much. The writing is good, sure. But the plot was non-existent and the characters uninteresting. 

Silas Marner by George Eliot

dark slow-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? Yes

3.0

This book is a strange one for me, since there were some chapters which I really liked, and others which I basically skipped past. There was no way of predicting which chapters I wouldn’t like, since they changed aimlessly to different character perspectives on a whim. The plot was quite minimal, but I found the characters of Silas, Godfrey and Dunsey interesting enough (but the latter two more irritating and infuriating). Part one was quite gloomy, and I was expecting Eppie to show up sooner than she did. When she was introduced - especially in part two - the tone of the book was happier, although even at the end, I felt there were some unresolved questions.