gmberbaum's reviews
58 reviews

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

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emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I was immediately engrossed in this book! I felt completely immersed in the setting and loved following the cabaret and gangster scene in Shanghai. The author does not waste time propelling the story forward and I could not put this book down. I audibly gasped multiple times while reading and felt the pain and conflict that Jingwen experienced. Overall, the story progressed really well. Towards the end, it felt a little rushed. I wanted more explanation and to be eased to the conclusion. I so enjoyed this book, that I would have wanted to read 100 pages more to get the ending that I think this book deserved. If you are looking for a magical realism story set in the hustle and bustle of Shanghai nightlife, this book will serve you an absolute adventure!

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

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adventurous dark emotional medium-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

5.0

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

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adventurous funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

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adventurous dark funny 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? No

3.75

I really enjoyed the world Novik built, but it took awhile for the action to really pick up. That said, I wanted to keep reading and was rooting for the characters.

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous slow-paced

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

1.0

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

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adventurous funny lighthearted sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Perfection. Casey McQuiston has truly outdone themself in this novel. I instantly fell in love with Kit and Theo. The characters were so real and relatable and incredibly charming. All the small details that showed the lifelong friendship of Kit and Theo were amazing. And all of this set on a breathtaking food tour of Europe.

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced