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hustlinfuzz's Reviews (81)
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Or, the one where two emotionally constipated freaks finally figure it out and fuck. This was the first audiobook I'd ever finished and the first of Ali Hazelwood's books I've completed. I wasn't super impressed with this one. I could tell there was effort put into not making the characters stereotypical gamers, but their personalities still felt a little cringy and on the nose to me. Definitely chick-lit. Not the worst book ever written in the world, though, just mid. I have a few more of Ali Hazelwood's works on my TBR, and I hope that they're a little better than this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
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:
Complicated
I wish actions didn't have consequences.
These two would have fucked waaaaaay sooner.
These two would have fucked waaaaaay sooner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
Yes
I thought the artwork was beautiful, and I liked the concept of the story. However, I felt it definitely could’ve been more fleshed out.
Everything seemed to work out a little too easily and simply for the main character, Grace. Grace supposedly suffers from her low confidence, but she seems to instantly excel at the one thing that she tries, which just so happens to be so far outside of her comfort zone.
Everything seemed to work out a little too easily and simply for the main character, Grace. Grace supposedly suffers from her low confidence, but she seems to instantly excel at the one thing that she tries, which just so happens to be so far outside of her comfort zone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
No
This was such a beautiful book. The illustrations were gorgeous and the colors used expressed a lot of emotion.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cute!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was so promisingly interesting—I'm a sucker for sapphic love stories AND supernatural twists. Unfortunately, it didn't quite land for me.
The pacing felt a little uneven with the plot seeming to stall out a little once Ash died (I don't think this is a spoiler, lmao). Her journey in the afterlife never felt as emotionally gripping or well-developed as her relationship with Poppy, and even their love story, while sweet at times, felt rushed and overly idealized.
The writing itself was poetic in places, but the dialogue occasionally felt forced, and the characters, particularly the supporting cast, didn’t feel fleshed out.
The pacing felt a little uneven with the plot seeming to stall out a little once Ash died (I don't think this is a spoiler, lmao). Her journey in the afterlife never felt as emotionally gripping or well-developed as her relationship with Poppy, and even their love story, while sweet at times, felt rushed and overly idealized.
The writing itself was poetic in places, but the dialogue occasionally felt forced, and the characters, particularly the supporting cast, didn’t feel fleshed out.
adventurous
challenging
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have mixed feelings.
Sandra Cisneros' writing style is lyrical and poetic, with a lot of vivid imagery that brings Esperanza's experiences to life, and I can see why this book holds a significant place in many classrooms and reading lists.
That being said, the formatting and structure of her life told in these fragmented vignettes left the whole book feeling disjointed. Just as I'd get attached to a character or theme, the narrative would shift, leaving a lot unexplored or unresolved. I suppose this is a choice. Especially when telling a coming-of-age story.
I just felt like I struggled to connect.
Sandra Cisneros' writing style is lyrical and poetic, with a lot of vivid imagery that brings Esperanza's experiences to life, and I can see why this book holds a significant place in many classrooms and reading lists.
That being said, the formatting and structure of her life told in these fragmented vignettes left the whole book feeling disjointed. Just as I'd get attached to a character or theme, the narrative would shift, leaving a lot unexplored or unresolved. I suppose this is a choice. Especially when telling a coming-of-age story.
I just felt like I struggled to connect.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Heheheh enemies-to-lovers. Giggling and kicking my feet.
The dynamic between the two protagonists is intense but layered—there’s a real sense of history and pain underneath all the snark and tension, which makes their eventual connection feel earned. I especially appreciated how the story took its time developing their relationship instead of rushing to the romance.
The writing is sharp and funny, but what stuck with me most were the moments of vulnerability. It’s messy in a realistic way, and that’s what gave the book its extra oomph for me.
The dynamic between the two protagonists is intense but layered—there’s a real sense of history and pain underneath all the snark and tension, which makes their eventual connection feel earned. I especially appreciated how the story took its time developing their relationship instead of rushing to the romance.
The writing is sharp and funny, but what stuck with me most were the moments of vulnerability. It’s messy in a realistic way, and that’s what gave the book its extra oomph for me.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this book with high hopes. BookTok recommended it to me. They'd never lead me astray, right? ...Right?
Anyways, this is a book with the premise of a grief-stricken, self-isolating queer protagonist navigating the messy aftermath of loss. I feel like I can connect with that. That's me. Unfortunately, the execution left me disappointed.
The writing style felt overly introspective to the point of feeling repetitive, often circling the same emotional beats without much progression. I appreciate a character-driven story, but I struggled to even connect with the main character’s voice. The narration just became so emotionally exhausting without offering enough nuance or growth to balance it out.
Plot-wise, things moved at a crawl. Important moments got glossed over while less impactful scenes drag on, making it hard to stay invested. The supporting characters, though occasionally interesting, mostly existed to orbit the protagonist rather than feel like fully fleshed-out people.
There are definitely moments of raw vulnerability that hint at what this book could have been, and I appreciate the attempt to portray a complicated story. But ultimately, it just didn’t resonate with me. The prose felt flat, the emotional payoff didn’t deliver, and I closed the book feeling truly underwhelmed
Anyways, this is a book with the premise of a grief-stricken, self-isolating queer protagonist navigating the messy aftermath of loss. I feel like I can connect with that. That's me. Unfortunately, the execution left me disappointed.
The writing style felt overly introspective to the point of feeling repetitive, often circling the same emotional beats without much progression. I appreciate a character-driven story, but I struggled to even connect with the main character’s voice. The narration just became so emotionally exhausting without offering enough nuance or growth to balance it out.
Plot-wise, things moved at a crawl. Important moments got glossed over while less impactful scenes drag on, making it hard to stay invested. The supporting characters, though occasionally interesting, mostly existed to orbit the protagonist rather than feel like fully fleshed-out people.
There are definitely moments of raw vulnerability that hint at what this book could have been, and I appreciate the attempt to portray a complicated story. But ultimately, it just didn’t resonate with me. The prose felt flat, the emotional payoff didn’t deliver, and I closed the book feeling truly underwhelmed
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Stupid. Stupid in a fun, charming, and light-hearted type of way.
I didn't even realize this was supposed to be a play off of a Shakespearean Twelfth Night retelling. I liked it, it just needed to be longer because it felt like some elements got dropped or were unsatisfyingly concluded.
I didn't even realize this was supposed to be a play off of a Shakespearean Twelfth Night retelling. I liked it, it just needed to be longer because it felt like some elements got dropped or were unsatisfyingly concluded.