dontforgetthelights's reviews
127 reviews

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

emotional 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? No

5.0

Beautifully written book about family relationships, cause and effect, and grief in Elizabethan England. Love the choice not to name Shakespeare himself throughout the novel - I feel it added a much greater sense of believability to the story. Basically gave off Circe vibes I won't lie but swap Greek mythology for the Middle Ages, and I loved both books sooo

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

"Maybe that was the only thing that mattered. To be the world, witnessing itself."

A cool concept but you could kind of totally see where it was going from a mile away and then it just took forever to get there idk like I called her choice of final life right from the beginning and her discoveries just weren't that surprising or interesting to me 🤷

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray

reflective medium-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

4.5

My only criticism is that Gray needs to stop saying "I am" and start developing her side characters (or even love interests). Maybe this reflects the MC's self absorption though.

Hate to say that I found many of Hera's takes relatable except for the Arthur related ones lol - definitely my favourite imperfect and often unlikable female lead that I've read as of yet

Also Madeleine Gray is bloody educated and it shines through here through the cynical humour and musings of her characters

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

Comfy, cute, enjoyable but like not much actually happened and that's okay

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.0

Just feeling a little let down I guess - mostly by the writing style (which may just be due to it being translated or cultural literary differences idk)

It did get some tears out of me but there were like three recurring things that were kinda unforgivable for me:
1) You can't change the present but you can change the past ?? That theory of time travel makes no sense sorry like where did the original versions of Fumiko and Hirai go when they travelled back - I'm so confused.
2) The information tangents that were meant to help you understand the characters felt sooo forced and honestly niche fanfic-ish (eg. Picasso, Alzheimers or coffee-making styles), like yeah thanks I know that
3) In general the narration just felt very meatless and cold, too detached for my taste

Also I was soooo hoping for the last plotline to be about the ghost woman and Lazy but alas she must be part of another book (that I won't be reading)

Cool concept though and pleasant enough to read

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

funny reflective fast-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

4.25

The last segment of this book is genius. She sure knows how to wrap up fulfillingly. It's not often that I enjoy novels with a mc that has a negative attitude/makes maladaptive decisions but I flew through this one soooo I guess that speaks for itself. 

Was also super interesting to see some of the things that Andy deemed unnecessary to mention in his storytelling revealed through Avi and Jen later - which were in turn each endearingly redeeming and character condemning. Almost like he was trying to tell the story in a way which makes things seem most inexplicable/funny by leaving out information (unreliable narration). Maybe I'm reading too much into it but if that was the point then it was well done 😊

Lowkey was rooting for Sophie though she was awesome but that's okay :(

Cant help but feel like the praise emblazoned all over the front and back covers of my copy mis-sell the actual story (I'm a serial reading crier and this one didn't come close to getting me) but I was as invested as I guess is possible for what's a relatively concise novel - when compared to many of the hallmarks of litfic.

That being said - I loved some of Alderton's themes, particularly how she explores male "emotional illiteracy". The exerpt which touched me most personally: "We're embarrassed of seeming stupid. Every time I hear Jane or Jen or Mum and one of her friends talk about something emotional, it's like listening to an orchestra perform. Often with no warm-up, they launch effortlessly into the chosen symphony of the day. And when I offer my thoughts I know I'm ruining it - hooting along tunelessly like a grade-one recorder player." 

Andy - I feel you, and I'm not even a bloke.

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

As much as I struggled to get through it, this is as incredibly depthful as The Secret History. Half a star docked because the build up was a little too extensive/prolonged for my attention span lol but otherwise a well rounded novel :)

I enjoyed some of the minor themes - especially Tartt's repeated focus on the way we wrong others through unthinking self-absorption.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

adventurous hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

Inspiring and captivating, enjoyed reading this all the way through. Cautionary in the ways of Dahl or The Little Prince but with an added factor of hope/solace. I enjoyed its simplicity and it's wholesome take on love, humanity and spirituality.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

lowkey was worried when I flicked to the end and glanced at the line "I married him", when I was still actually reading about St John ahahah

but anyways I like that Jane possesses such a strong moral compass and sense of self respect, it was enjoyable to read of her experiences. Justice for Grace Poole though honestly like cmon

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.25

Haven't read her first novel. Kind of just a personal preference that I don't like romances where characters are immediately obsessed with each other for seemingly no reason. It got better toward the second half but idk I tend to prefer a more subtle/intricate approach to love stories - so this just wasn't the book for me. Also lowkey found their internal monologues a tad annoying, and none of the side characters were well developed (having not read The Spanish Love Deception). Good for a quick read though and anyone into romance tropes will enjoy.