grace_astudentreading's reviews
436 reviews

Don't Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna

emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Ok so I am going to do this review a bit backwards, and start with the piece of this book I struggled with. This book is written in a combination of every conceivable narration style. The majority is third person, but there is also a good amount of second person. Then there are snippets of first person and transcripts. While each style was done well, it was a lot to have all together in one story. There were also some cliches. But otherwise this was an amazing. I loved the premise so much and it was very well executed. You really got to know Abby and her friends and everything they went through. The author wrote the characters with incredible nuance, showing them as very real, flawed people. I loved the portrayal of friendship and other relationships, and the complexities of grief. This was such a character driven book, and the pace reflected that, being pretty slow paced but it allowed for so much depth and richness in every character, which I adored. This book is a true gem in the thriller genre and I highly recommend it.

Exes & Foes by Amanda Woody

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Advanced reader's copy review

I truly cannot express my love for Amanda Woody’s writing enough. They create stories with such amazing depth. This book is somehow lighthearted and funny while also being deeply emotional and handling many tough topics. On the lighthearted side we have Emma and Caleb’s banter and crazy antics that had me in stitches. We also have their incredibly wholesome friends Jas and Alice, and the world’s sweetest character ever in Juliet. But alongside this lighthearted joyful comedy was a lot of emotion that had me teary eyed and even downright sobbing. Emma and Caleb both have complicated relationships with members of their family and with each other. I loved getting glimpses into the past showing the former friendship and the family issues. They helped me understand Emma and Caleb as individuals and as the couple they were meant to be. They have great chemistry and compliment each other so well. I did get slightly annoyed at their inability to communicate, but in the end they worked it out. So overall I highly recommend! 

Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Wrapped Up In You by Ceillie Simkiss

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I have never bought and read a sequel so quickly! After finishing Learning Curves I immediately needed more Elena and Cora. They are one of the best couples I have read, and this book only solidified that opinion. The point of view was split evenly between Elena and Cora, giving a peek into both their thoughts and plans, which I loved. Everything they do and think just go to show that they are so in love and so wholesome and absolutely perfect together! From hosting Christmas together to trying to surprise each other on the side. I also loved that we got more of their families, especially Elena’s. I love her family so much, and their relationship with Cora is amazing. They have fully adopted her into the family. Cora’s family is a bit of a different story. I wish I had gotten to understand her relationship with them a bit better, especially since some things were hinted at that spoke to a complication situation. But they were nice to Elena and her family. So overall this was an absolutely adorable sequel to Learning Curves and I highly recommend! 

Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss

lighthearted relaxing

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was one of the cutest low angst romances I have ever read! And it was so well done. Normally I always find novella’s to feel rushed. But this was incredibly well paced in terms of relationship development, from first meeting to putting a label on it. The characters were also very well written. I loved both Elena and Cora. While I felt I got to know Elena better, given the book was told in her third person perspective, I still bonded hard with Cora as well. She is a booklover and asexual, much like me. Elena is quite different, but also absolutely amazing. She is so driven in her pursuit of family law, and so devoted to her family. And her family so wholesome. While we didn’t get much of them on the page, I loved every moment with them. That is probably my one critique with this book, that there was the lack of side characters. But the true gem in this novella is Elena and Cora’s relationship. They have such amazing chemistry and are so accepting of each other and make a truly perfect couple. Overall this was a super cute novella that I highly recommend. 

Hombrecito: A Novel by Santiago Jose Sanchez

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Advanced reader's copy

This is one of those books that will haunt my mind for a long time. It is an incredibly compelling read that I found myself completely absorbed by. For starters, I loved the characters. Every single one of them, no matter how insignificant, felt so incredibly real, so truly human, like I could read through the page and touch them. And the relationships they had were so complex, so raw and authentic and messy and captivating. Somehow I found myself caring for all of them, no matter their flaws or toxic behaviors. I do not think I have ever gotten that sort of level of experience from a book before. I also liked how the book was organized, moving roughly chronologically through Santiago’s life but not focusing too hard on the actual number that increases every year, but rather the experiences that cause someone to truly grow up and age and change. I did struggle a bit with just how dense literary the writing style was, and I didn’t love the switch from third person to first person and back to third person. But overall I enjoyed this book.

Thank you Penguin Group Riverhead and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald

dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

Advanced reader's copy review

Another amazing Jess Lambert novel from Christina McDonald! Jess stole my heart in her first book, and my love for her has only grown, especially in this book. Jess is just so fierce and determined and strong and broken but healing and trying her best to be better. She undergoes absolutely fantastic character development over the course of this story, with the reappearance of Mac in her life, the anniversary of her accident, and her hard-won sobriety. I really cannot aptly describe how much I love Jess. Of course, she is not the only character in this book. There are two other point of view characters, and I enjoyed reading both of them. The different narrators were really done, with each one feeling unique and adding so much to the story. I loved how they all layered together to create the full picture of what happened that Christmas Eve. The mystery had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, with so many great twists and turns I never saw coming. The resolution was so complex in the end and brilliantly done. Overall, I highly recommend!

Thank you Christina McDonald for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass

emotional hopeful

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Advanced reader's copy review

This book was pure magic! It was sweet and beautiful and heartfelt. For starters, I loved the setting of this book with ever fiber of my being. I loved how beautiful it was in all its descriptions, with its flowers and vines and overall fairytale essence. I loved how much emotional significance it held to the characters, and how it worked to facilitate the main character’s development and the romance. Now as for the main character and the romance, I loved both. Grant is a nuanced and complex character. He struggles so much in the book, overwhelmed by his depression, romantic failures, and drudged up painful memories from his childhood. But over the course of the book he is able to do some great healing. And find the love he deserves. Ben is the perfect compliment to Grant, and I loved their shared childhood history and how much angst it contributed to the romance. Along with Grant and Ben, I loved Grant’s family, especially his aunt and uncle. They are so supportive and kind. So overall I loved this book and I highly recommend it!

Thank you Viking and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers by Adam Sass

lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

So I am going to start this review with the disclaimer that my opinion of this book was heavily impacted by the fact that I already knew how it would end. And for that reason, I struggled to be fully invested in all the romantic relationships and love interest characters. However, I did still enjoy the story. I liked watching Micah navigate all his firsts, even when they were messy or awkward or a flop, and he had strong character development. And I loved his art and how he used it to express himself through Instaloves and his mural. I also loved Hannah and Micah’s family. Hannah is probably the best best friend ever, and Micah’s family is so wholesome and supportive.  But what I found in this book that truly made it totally worth the read was all the fairytale references. They made the book absolutely adorable and created such a fun vibe for a young adult rom com. So even though I ‘spoiled’ the ending for myself I was still able to enjoy Micah and his friends and family, and overall I would recommend this book.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This book was somehow both adorable and thrilling, with a perfect balance between the two that speaks to strong writing. It blew my expectations away, especially when I reached the end and realized the balance had never been broken. Alongside the strong writing, this book had incredibly strong characters. I loved all three Rubicon women. Lana is a true force of nature, brimming with determination. It was so much fun watching her solve a murder by shear force of will. While Beth was definitely quite different from Lana, I loved her just as much, She is kind and caring and steady, and I want her rock garden. And last but certainly not least we have Jack. Jack is the glue that manages to bring Lana and Beth back together. She is also so fierce, with a fantastic dream for her future. All together the Rubicon women manage to come together and be a family, albite a messy one. My one critique was in regards to the plot. Some things just felt too obvious, while other’s seemed a bit of a stretch. But overall I really enjoyed this book.