elizlizabeth's reviews
176 reviews

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional funny fast-paced

3.5

It started very good pacing and plot wise but around the middle I felt like it dragged too much on the MC's internal monologue. 
The premise was fun tho, and you can see TJR's craft on the way she fleshed out all of the characters.
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What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

Pretty much what it says on the tin. Ben is a little annoying and whiny tbh, and Arthur is ok but why the fuck is he worrying about losing his virginity? Boy's barely 16!
The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy by Jonathan Reisman

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lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

This was an entretaining book but it only delves on surface level knowledge of the human body. Mostly it's the author's life experiences and outlook on life, which was hilarious to me because at points it reads like the man went "ok I only get to publish ONE book so time to get every idea I've ever had out in print"
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My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

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dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

This was such a satisfying read. 
A wonderful critique on how despite openly condemning predators, society still protects them and seeks to empathize with, turning the victim into a mere projection of her situation.  Vannesa's voice is so human that it's easy to empathize, to the point the reader's own biases and flaws lay out in the open, weave themselves into the bigger conversation.
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Solaris by Stanisław Lem

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mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

3.0

Interesting premise, leaning a bit on psychological thriller. I didn't like the pacing of it a lot since at times it infodumps on things that don't have any impact on the immediate events. At times it felt like an excuse to present some ideas the author has regarding human-centric science, religion, grief, and guilt, rather than a novel with an actual plot and conflict.
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Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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dark funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was NOTHING like I expected but in a good way. Super entretaining and a total page turner if you don't mind suspending your disbelief for a bit -absolutely not for you if you're a fan of police drama or thrillers as this is not it. If anything, the aunties' personalities are so endearing you're gonna want to keep reading. It does get a bit slow at the end but I had so much fun that I don't mind all that much.
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Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

100% recommend getting the audiobook version as it's a totally different experience. I really liked the experimental way in which TJR told this story tho I appreciated it more as a writer than a reader. It's loosely based on the Fleetwood Mac gossip so if you like band drama this is your book.
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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

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medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? No

2.0

I disliked every single character here and thus had a hard time relating or empathizing with them. The writing is so bad, half screenplay half novel it feels like someone much younger and inexperienced wrote it. Shoutout to the seven (?) asian women named Anna Lee!
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Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

I enjoyed the first half of the book but by the end it honestly felt like the plot was there only to justify the smut. Jamie was my favorite character but by the end he had lost all semblance of personality and coherency in favor of whatever the plot or Claire's own arch required. Claire herself was very annoying and unlikable to me, but her actions and personality made sense for the plot so it's not really a critique and more of a lack of affinity on my part.
Gabaldon is a very good writer and I truly enjoyed the historical fantasy part of this. Not sure if I'd read the rest of the series after that infamous dungeon scene tho. Definitely read and heed the warnings on this one.
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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I fell in love with the whole cast of characters and I kept laughing out loud on my commutes to the point other passengers must've thought I was losing my mind.
The last 15% however felt very rushed plot wise, a lot of tell don't show with the revelations and false confessions. It made me feel as if we were never meant to solve the mystery on our own for the sake of plot twists. I feel there were more elegant ways to tie off the loose ends and pick up on both previous clues and the overall message of the book (which if I'm seeing it correctly is "the past/old people" vs "the present/young cops" and how there's good and bad things in both).
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