bookbrook16's reviews
23 reviews

emotional hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75

Something I did not like:

I did not like how ridiculously long the main character forced themself to do things they weren’t comfortable with and knowingly make mistakes that affect others - and they just KEPT doing it - additionally the amount of times that I was screaming YOURE ASEXUAL when she was so close to finding out but then she took a turn in an opposite direction - I also didn’t really care for how the main character thought process worked - it was frustrating and at times I did not like how asexuality was being portrayed/written

What I liked:

But once I got past that section of the book (which took practically half the book) I really enjoyed the plot of the different socs and and their play, I enjoyed Rooney and Pip’s friendship - my favorite parts in general were when Rooney gave the bff speech with flowers to Georgia and when they dedicated the play to Georgia

Sadly, the good parts were sparse and far between.

I was excited to read this book to see some character representation I could relate to, but found myself reading a lot about characters that are founded upon stereotypes and It’s a shame didn’t feel a strong attachment to the main character that I was excited to see myself in.

I think Alice Oseman and I definitely have different interests because at the end of the book, readers get “Hands Against Our Hearts: A short story” of

Pip and Rooney.

In the precursor, Oseman states, “One of my favorite scenes in

Pip and Rooney’s Story

Pip’s bombardment of messages the night of their first kiss.

” I found it ironic that the scene that I kinda skimmed through because I felt uncomfortable/secondhand embarrassment was one of Oseman’s favorite. Also it was ironic that it seemed like their favorite part writing was the side love story when the whole book was about the discovery of how friendship can be just as important even in a romance-focused world. For this book, I would have loved to seen more of an intriguing storyline that wasn’t overshadowed by the romantic sideline.

The reality is I wouldn’t do a reread of this book, nor would I recommend it to others, but it had its good moments and was fun at times, especially concerning the friendship plot.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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funny medium-paced

2.75

Not for me - I didn’t care for the amount of book that was written in “tell not show” - the romance side of this story was sudden with no build up. It went on and on about the sex escapades (which even then were meh when it came to how emotionally invested I was) but when it came to whether they were “forever” it was like “oh yeah and i love him.” They didn’t feel “forever” to me until the last moments. I went into this book pretty blind; I was told that the main character’s dynamic was similar to one of my favorite ships in a different series, so I was excited to see the characters in this story grow to be a relationship/the tension of getting past someone you hate to see someone you really like but I was disappointed. It was very tell-y, and it felt like “then they did this, then that.” I rarely felt like we were experiencing the moment as it was happening which didn’t provide the emotional intrigue I wanted. There was little build up in any aspect of their relationship and as a result I felt very little emotional investment to their love story than I would have liked, but on the other hand, I really enjoyed the plot and the political storyline. I felt the intensity of the political plot twist far greater than anything that happened between the two love interests.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

Only not 5 because I want more of the book lol. I want more scenes of these characters because I liked them so much - give me a slice of life of these characters and I would 100% read it! They are very precious - I usually struggle to read fantasy novels, but I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a great step into the Fantasy genre to get a person accustomed if you haven’t read any or many fantasy books in the past.

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. It’s VERY well written; it never got boring and it made you love just about every character and it was SO intense. It also has a full cast audio book with like foley and everything that had no right to be that good - definitely recommend reading alongside the audiobook. It’s also written in a unique way that makes everything so cool and interesting . It’s my new favorite book!

The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited! by Clint McElroy, Carey Pietsch

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced