emilycecilia's reviews
51 reviews

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Abandonment

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

5.0

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

My favorite genre of horror is "dysfunctional family in a haunted house" so this was right up my alley. Hendrix manages to weave slasher movie horror seamlessly with a story that is, at it's heart, about grief and death and generational trauma and motherhood and trying to make the world better for our children. Also, there are killer puppets and way too many creepy dolls.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, and Grief

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

Off the Map by Trish Doller

adventurous emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

funny hopeful fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Abby Jiminez never fails to make me both laugh out loud and sob in the same story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Medical content

Minor: Mental illness

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.5

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

medium-paced

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

2.5

I see why this book has been wildly popular, but it is not for me. I actively disliked every character except for the dog, and even he was on thin ice. 

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline

slow-paced

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

0.25

I wish I could rate this 0 stars. Negative stars.