hippolyta_vi's reviews
163 reviews

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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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? Yes

5.0

"Katniss, there is no District Twelve."
just may be more iconic than "I volunteer as tribute." I said what I said.
Heir by Sabaa Tahir

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
I've heard great things about Sabaa Tahir's books and thought I was in the mood for a fantasy. Turns out I wasn't, which is a shame bc I usually don't pick up a book again after I DNF😭
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

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

4.75

Ugh I needed this. Kate Goldbeck wrote this for ME! "Enemies" to lovers, miscommunications, and messy? Sign me up. Seriously, if you don't like any of this elements (heavy on the miscommunication), you might not enjoy this one. In the book's afterword, Goldbeck explains what about Nora Ephron movies makes them so special: internal conflict and character neuroses. That's what I love in a rom-com. 

I didn't know this book was inspired by When Harry Met Sally when I picked it up, and I'm glad I didn't because I don't like that movie (a rom-com lover sin, I know), but the gender-swapped, modern take is done perfectly. I love how Josh is stern and type-A but an utter romantic, and how Ari is quirky and social yet cynical. If I knew these characters irl I'd absolutely hate them, but I had an excellent time reading about them. 
Good Omens: A Full Cast Production (Audible Audio Edition) by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

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3.0

My history with Good Omens may be an unconventional but popular one. I started with the tv show (which I love), and tried to read the novel, but DNF'd because I found it too similar to the show and didn't feel the need to revisit the story right away. I never returned to the novel until this year when I thought I'd try the audiobook. And oh boy, is it more boring than I remember. The structure of proving too much detail about Minor Minor characters becomes so tiresome. Why am I, in the last pages of the book, learning about a character I do not care about. This book is riddled with characters I don't care about because there are too many damn characters! 
Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

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4.75

Rebecca why do you hurt me so (affectionate)

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people like to compare a sequel to its predecessor, but to me this book wasn't a sequel, just a perfect continuation of the story, like two books broken up into one. The author gave us more of Kitt's POV, and sometimes other characters, which I really appreciated. Did I cry my eyes out as hard as Divine Rivals tho? Almost, but no. 

A perfect duology! 
My Lady Jane by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand

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adventurous funny lighthearted

4.0

I started reading My Lady Jane because of the cancellation of the television show, and in a rare turn of events, I thought the show was better! I know it's unfair to compare the two pieces of media, but a lot of the changes made to the show I think benefitted the characters and the overall plot. The plot of the book is a bit simple and straightforward, very easy.

My biggest criqitue of the book is that it really felt more centered on Edward, especially in the latter part of the story. The main plot is concerned with
getting him back on the throne
, so everyone else feels like side characters in his story, which felt wrong for a book with Jane's name in the title. 

Overall, I did have a really fun time with the book. The tone is still cheeky and fun, which I appreciated. I did absolutely love how much G and Jane were obsessed with each other despite not having very much time together. Maybe because I already knew the characters from the show, but I loved them. Also, we were deprived of poet G in the show! 
The End Crowns All by Bea Fitzgerald

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slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I'm disappointed to say that this did not live up to my expectations. I absolutely adored Girl, Goddess, Queen, so when I heard about the premise of The End Crowns, I was so psyched. Unfortunately, I was often bored. For a 500+ page book, so much happens, and yet so little is accomplished.

To me, it felt as though everything was happening to the characters, rather than them actually enacting anything, which is odd considering the entire plot is about Cassandra using her powers of prophecy to change the outcome of the war and Helen doing everything she can to aid in that. Maybe there's a message there, that some aspects of the future are truly set it stone and life is what you make of it. I just felt like everything the women were doing didn't really amount to much. The only thing that did is
the little army of women


Will I read more of Bea Fitzgerald? Yeah probably. 
One Piece, Vol. 1: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
Needed to return it to the library lol