carebearstare's reviews
4 reviews

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.5

This is not some grand piece of literature but it’s a damn good time. It’s a fast-paced, tropey queer rom-com. I was giggling while reading it. It’s exactly the kind of book I’m glad young LGBT+ people get to have now. 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I was instantly drawn into this dark, unique world from the first paragraph. I found Donna Tartt’s prose to be beautifully haunting and I devoured it ferociously. I now sit, swirling thoughts around concerning what makes people good or bad, what it means to love and what lengths humans will go to out of self preservation. This was an exhilarating read. 

Divine Secrets of the YA-YA Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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

3.75

I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to sit down with my mom and ask her questions about her childhood. However, a lot of the dialogue felt unrealistic, preventing me from feeling immersed in the story. Also, it didn’t elicit the same emotional reaction from me as the short story collection before it did. 

Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-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

5.0

This short story collection both broke me and healed me. It made me cry, laugh and want to hug my siblings tightly.