klpsencik's reviews
1018 reviews

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

dark emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

wow. wow. wow. 

Well, This is Exhausting: Essays by Sophia Benoit

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.5

I enjoyed this so much, I'm buying it in print immediately so I can highlight and flag sections that resonated with me. "Well, This is Exhausting," is a poignant, exhaustive (ha) analysis of modern womanhood. Every woman in their late 20s or early 30s will find something in here that feels so real you have to put the book down and do a lap around your house while thinking about it.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

Romance with a twist! This was fun -- while the romance wasn't the sole focus of the story, it didn't fully take a backseat, either. This was part-romance, part regular ol' contemporary fiction. The FMC did get on my nerves a bit occasionally, but I think that was sort of the point -- that her true crime obsession doesn't really make her the easiest person to be around (or read about) at times. 

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

I'm an "I'll try anything once" type of reader and I also enjoyed Lana Ferguson's "The Nanny," so I figured, why not read my first Omegaverse story? Turns out I was in for a wild ride, which I suppose shouldn't be surprising. I think I learned that the Omegaverse is not for me, though I certainly learned a lot and had fun doing it.

Would You Rather by Allison Ashley

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

An extremely cute friends-to-lovers/marriage of convenience with lovable characters who are incredibly sweet to each other. An easy, nice read!

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

funny lighthearted 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

3.5

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

it’s perfect

Above Ground by Clint Smith

emotional hopeful fast-paced

4.5

“My life is made possible by trillions of tiny mysteries. I exist because of so many things I’ll never see.”

Clint Smith is one of our best living writers. This collection of poems is about Smith’s journey to and through fatherhood, outlining his joys and fears and anxieties in both little moments and big. 

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Strange and fascinating. The book is written from the perspective of Annie, an AI bot created to bend to her owner/lover/abuser Doug’s every will. Stories of AI developing consciousness are far from new, but the real thing that keeps the pages turning is Annie’s character development. I had a really difficult time putting it down, though the ending felt very abrupt which left me a bit unsatisfied. 

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.0

Whew, this was NOT for me.