gaylandtoo's reviews
94 reviews

Here for the Wrong Reasons by Lydia Wang, Annabel Paulsen

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

i giggled, i gasped, i give it 3 stars. now i'm just waiting for annabel & lydia to write a little romcom based off their own meetcute (falling in love via writing a book together). ladies, let's make it happen!

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

challenging 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? No

5.0

lex croucher i am obsessed with you

Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

funny reflective 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

4.0

me and all my homies HATE julian

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

let me preface with this statement: i knew (some) about the plot of the book going in; arguably, the biggest plot twist. had i not known this plot twist, i believe this would be a 4.5-5 star read for me. however, if you are like me, and you have heard about the gone girl film, the first 200 pages of this book will likely be a drag for you. 

after i had gotten past the first 200 pages where nick didn't know amy was framing him, i found this novel difficult to put down. it was enthralling; however; it took me ages to get past the first section. nick dunne is the most annoying, bland male main character i have ever read. i don't care if he is complex, i am annoyed at his complexities. i believe i'm supposed to be. i detest the ways in which he pretends he is above amy despite him being just as manipulative as she is; i believe he's jealous that he doesn't have the brains to pull it off.

amy, on the other hand, is capricious and charming, manipulative and ingenious. she is realistic in the most absurd ways, and i'm a little addicted to her. she redefines adaptability throughout the novel; i could not believe how thoroughly she thinks though every plan she cooks up. i love hot woman psychopaths who are too smart for their annoying, mediocre husbands.

The Prospects by KT Hoffman

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? No

4.75

pending 5 star rating until i get more sleep

All Men Want to Know by Nina Bouraoui

informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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

3.75

i think some of this book quite literally got lost in translation; at times, it had a tendency towards sanctimoniousness. i still found the writing to be beautiful, and i thought it provided an excellent intersectional understanding of queerness in cultures i'm unfamiliar with. 

Cherry Beach by Laura McPhee-Browne

dark emotional 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? No

4.25

The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

there were some parts of this book i thoroughly enjoyed, but i found that some storylines were distracting from the main one: romy's story of her time in prison and her motherhood. i also found the ordering of events to be deterring from the purpose of the novel; i often found myself wondering why i was learning about this character. i loved romy and her love for her son, and i believe her story is powerful. unfortunately for me, the execution of this novel falls flat.

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude

emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

Mrs. S by K. Patrick

slow-paced

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

3.5

vibes, pining, and that's all, folks!