klpsencik's reviews
1018 reviews

Love, Just In by Natalie Murray

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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? Yes

3.75

This book gave me vague "People We Meet on Vacation" vibes. It addresses some pretty heavy topics -- grief and severe anxiety, specifically health anxiety -- and is at the same time cute and entertaining. I was rooting for Josie and Zac the entire time. This was one of the most true-to-life friends-to-lovers romances I've read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief

Moderate: Death

Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I'm such a fan of Lily King's -- she's an instant read for me after reading Writers and Lovers. I savored each of these stories. While short, they each felt fully developed and full-circle. King's writing is poetic and I often stopped reading the stories simply to re-read and re-read and re-read the words themselves. 

Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan

emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

3.5

One of the reasons I've gravitated to Sophie Sullivan's books recently is because I always know what to expect. Sullivan's books are cozy and sweet with swoony MMCs. They're not always my *favorite* romance books, but they deliver on their promises -- and "Love, Naturally" is no different. I loved the setting and the characters, and as opposed as I am to insta-love, I was so obsessed with Beckett I looked past it.

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

*heavy sigh*

Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

A deeply troubling assessment of one woman's experience in the Children of God, a cult known for troubling sex practices (among a myriad of other issues). This isn't so much a book *about* the cult as it is a memoir about one person's experience within said cult. I wish the history of the cult had been given throughout the book, rather than a rushed introduction -- I listened to the audiobook of this so it was impossible for me to flip back to the history section and cross-check anything I was confused about. 

That said, I feel for the author and her experiences and hope she is healing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault

Moderate: Religious bigotry

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston

emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

Priest by Sierra Simone

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.25

We’re all going to hell for this one huh

Truly though, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the writing, the characters and the romance. It's definitely deeper than I thought it would be going into it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide

Moderate: Death, Grief, Stalking, Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse, Religious bigotry

North Woods by Daniel Mason

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

“… the only way to understand the world as something other than a tale of loss is to see it as a tale of change.”

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5