kvangundy's reviews
1210 reviews

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.5

This was such a fun book. It had such a childlike quality to it that brought all my WilllyWonka fantasies to life, but at the same time had all the qualities of an adult novel that you look for. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. 4.5 stars

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I flew through this one because it was such a weird creepy story. 4.5 stars.

Damsel by Evelyn Skye

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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? No

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. It sucked me in right away and kept me intrigued the entire time. Elodie is betrothed to Henry, the Prince of Aurea, and will do whatever it takes to provide a better life for the people of her home. The marriage will provide much-needed food and wealth for her homeland. So when the wedding day comes, and things take a turn for the worse, Elodie will have to save herself along with both kingdoms. And there are dragons!! I can't wait to see the Netflix adaptation of this book. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. 5 stars. 

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This one was a lot of fun. I saw a few of the twists coming, but not them all. 4 stars.

The Stranded by Sarah Daniels

adventurous dark tense fast-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? No

3.5

I was really excited for this one, but for some reason, it just fell short for me. The idea of a full society being stranded on a cruise ship fighting for survival seemed like a great concept. For me, the characters just didn't cut it. The main bad guy annoyed me. Arcadia is the ship, and no one is allowed off the ship. A faction of rebels is trying to liberate the Arcadia and our main character Esther finds herself right in the middle of the uprising. Can she survive and make it to land? Again an interesting concept, but the execution just wasn't there for me. 3.5 stars because I was able to finish it. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. 

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

adventurous informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

Very good and now I want to go hike the PCT

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

adventurous emotional informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I was so excited to hear that Boulley had written another book. I loved Firekeeper's Daughter. Warrior Girl Unearthed was every bit as good. Perry Firekeeper-Birch is the "other" twin, just trying to get by. When she gets into a car accident and has to take an internship that she didn't want in the first place, she finds that she is captivated by the bones and remains of her indigenous ancestors and bringing them back to their rightful homes. This was very entertaining. Thank you for the eARC. 4.5 stars.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I rank it up there with Circe. I even will go as far as the two both have a top spot in my favorite books. The story of Clytemnestra shows what a truly strong woman can do when she doesn't let anything get in her way. I will definitely be recommending this one to everyone. 5 stars

Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel

emotional tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

 Two rivals, destined to fight over land, find themselves madly in love. One is the King of France, and the other is the heir to the crown of England. In a world where royal marriages are more for the deliverance of heirs, this type of relationship is not heard of. But when Richard and Philip meet, they can't fight the draw they have to each other, even if they are sworn enemies. But will they let that stop them or have it build a bond that can overcome boundaries and titles? This was a fun take on 12th-century Europe and the lives of the King and Duke. I enjoyed it. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. 4 stars. 

Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah

emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

2.0

As much as I wanted to enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, but I just couldn't get into it. Even though the plot was one that is interesting, I just found myself bored through the book, and it was a struggle to finish it. Unfortunately, you can't love them all. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. 2 stars.