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katehoward's reviews
162 reviews
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
3.5
It was an interesting and enlightening story, but I wasn't as impressed by the writing as I thought I would be based on the reviews and praise it has received.
Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
2.0
Maybe not the best book to start reading Mary Oliver. It was pretty boring and juvenile, and the poems weren't really saying anything. I didn't tear up at one point, but I am always do when I think about my own dog dying so I don't think it was a testament to the poems.
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wish I enjoyed this book more as the summary was incredibly interesting. The story and characters kept me engaged, and the writing was great, but once I finished I didn't really feel much for the characters overall. I enjoyed the sex-worker and porn industry inclusion/discussion even if it felt overly simplified at times.
Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Incredibly cute and funny, a great book to get into the holiday mood. I found myself rather invested in the characters and their relationships, and thought it was well-developed (it also made me a little emotional towards the end).
The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I wish there was more variety in the dates/people the main character dated. It felt like every person was a divorced dad that had feelings for someone else, and it was too repetitive for me to enjoy by the end of it. It is predictable, but if someone is looking for a lighthearted romance with a lot of Christmas imagery it is fun.
How to Kill Your Family: A Novel by Bella Mackie
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The book felt predictable and I believe it would have been better if it was shorter as we were provided with filler that didn't add much to the story or character. The ending wasn't great and felt like a cop out to wrap everything up quickly while throwing a random character without much development or backstory. The ending was such a let down as we spent the whole book building to this emotional catharsis that never truly came, maybe it would have been better if how Grace reacted would have been reveled as she was unpredictable I'm not sure what she would have done.