kristin_boren's reviews
293 reviews

The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Loved the setting, loved the characters (flaws and all), loved the story. Say what you will but I'm a genuine sucker for a surfing book. And then a romance and a plot of ecological preservation that's a winner for me.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Pretty good, fast read. Every part of the story is a bummer. I do kinda like the ambiguous ending though.

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

fast-paced

2.0

This book gets one whole additional star for being an appropriate length. The amount of steaming garbage I've read that was like 400+ pages for absolutely no reason... 
This was bad obviously and is just lightly disguised avatar porn starring a "not like other girls" girl but it was extremely short and for that it has my thanks.

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

dark emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

3.5

This is of course my opinion but I think this book felt like a practice in listing a haunted house that had all the worst things you could think of and that was mostly it. 

I know the point is power in love and relationships but I found the characters didn't have much personality outside of their trauma.

 I didn't hate it for sure but I'd say if the idea of an eerie never ending maze is the element you like House of Leaves does that better and if the relationships of adults with trauma coming back together after years apart in an unsettling setting is what you enjoyed Mister Magic does THAT better. 

Anyway just fine but if you love a series of nightmare haunted house rooms being described at you on a loop you'll love it. 

West by Carys Davies

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I feel like I had a lot of mixed thoughts and feelings on this one. For some context I read Clear and LOVED it. And not that I was expecting this book to feel exactly the same but I think the writing is a little less lyrical than in Clear. More extremely hard to stomach moments but overall well written and generally thoughtful.

In the Weeds by B.K. Borison

fast-paced

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

3.5

Very very cute. Very loveable characters. Love the farm setting and getting to spend more time in the small town.

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.

Maayyyyybe ill revisit in the future. I do not care for most of the characters and I specifically cannot stand elspeth.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

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? Yes

5.0

Ooooh this is the stuff really good romance novels are made of IMO. whole, real, complex characters finding love. 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

2.0

I feel cursed by this series. I'll finish it UNFORTUNATELY. And you may be thinking why...why would you finish this. Cause I'm in a million book clubs and I get FOMO. But am I happy about it...no. this book was 99.9% dialogue .1% exposition and I pray to whichever the God of common sense is that Becky's editors do a switcheroo for the next one.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Let me at emily Henry I wanna give her a little kiss. I loved this one so much (almost as much as beach read.) The characters are so cutie patootie. The premise is so wacky. I hate the US right now but at least I get to live in the same timeline as Emily Henry.