desiree_reads's reviews
382 reviews

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon Vol. 4 by Shio Usui

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

3.5☆ Review:

My asexual lesbians 🥹

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon Vol. 3 by Shio Usui

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

4☆ Review:

Oh, my oblivious Asahi. So happy she’s starting to think about herself, though. Hinako, hang in there!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

2nd Re-Read (Audiobook):

4.5☆ Review:

Oh my god, I’m a weeping mess. 

I don’t think I’m mentally prepared for Sunrise on the Reaping.

1st Re-Read (Physical):

4☆ Review:

*SPOILERS*
What can I even say? The end of The Hunger Games really was a rollercoaster. I mourn the deaths of many characters as I finished (especially Finnick). But, I’m so happy that Katniss and Peeta got the best ending that they could. I love that it didn’t end with Katniss or Peeta magically being okay again even after years passed and instead showed that the trauma will always be with them, but that they’ve learned to embrace it and will get the opportunity to teach their kids about it once they’re grown. 

I wish we could get a Peeta POV of his time in captivity.

All The Young Dudes - Volume One: Years 1 - 4 by MsKingBean89

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

2nd Re-Read (Audiobook):

5☆ Review:

This book hits every time. 

1st Re-Read (Physical):

5☆ Review:

It’s so rare for me to love the second book more than the first, but I truly did!

Catching Fire is so much more packed with action, drama, information, and emotion. I stayed up late so I could finish it and don’t regret it for a second.

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon Vol. 2 by Shio Usui

lighthearted 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

4.0

4☆ Review:

Lesbian realizing she’s lesbian + totally oblivious anti-romantic lesbian. I love them.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

2nd Re-Read (Audiobook):

5☆ Review:

I’ll never get tired of this series. 

I love Peeta.

1st Re-Read (Physical):

4☆ Review:

This is a series I’m rereading and overall I still love this book! It’s so nostalgic for me. 

It’s more fast-paced than I remember.

I still love Peeta and can’t wait to get more of him in Catching Fire!

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Vol. 1 by Shio Usui

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-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

4.0

4☆ Review:

So cuuuuute 🥹

The Rewards of Being Loved by louisfake

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark informative slow-paced

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

2.0

2nd Read (Audiobook):

2☆ Review:

Coriolanus Snow is a bitch.

1st Read (Physical):

2☆ Review:

I hate to give this book such a low star review, but I tried so hard to love it. The Hunger Games is an amazing series and when I heard that we were getting a novel about President Snow, I was certainly intrigued.

However, this book really fell flat for me and took me so long to read because I wasn’t truly enjoying it.

I didn’t feel connected to a single character, especially not Snow. The closest I got was Sejanus. 

I guess Snow being so cruel is the point, right? Since he is the villain in our original trilogy and this book surely made me dislike him even more. 

The “romance” felt rushed and false. None of it ever felt real because of Snow’s unlikeable personality.

On a more positive note, I did enjoy learning the origins of many things in the series, such as The Hanging Tree song.  It was also interesting to see how the games had begun so weakly, with no one being interested in them and it having such terrible conditions. It really shows how the years changed it and I did find that fascinating.

But overall, I’m sad to say that I give this book a 2 star rating.