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lauren_miller's reviews
754 reviews
The Christmas Clash by Suzanne Park
hopeful
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? It's complicated
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC.
In theory, this book ticked so many boxes for me: Christmas themed, enemies to lovers, Asian American rep and the generational experience, etc... But in the end, I didn't love it.
The "two opposing families" setup was good. Both both Chloe and Peter were easy to like. But the "enemies to lovers" trope fell so flat; in reality, they traded a few barbs here and there—not even particularly nasty ones, the kind you might be proud of in middle school—which then felt wholly unbelievable and forced due to the fact that prior to the start of the book, they have a dinner swap going, where they trade menu items from their families' restaurants. If you really hated someone, whether in actuality or simply on principle, you wouldn't do them a favor as big as sneaking out leftovers.
Also, the main characters and their friends all read very immaturely. Supposedly Chloe, Peter, and Co. are in high school, but to me, they read very juvenile. And the friendships very flat; only Elias was really fleshed out. And to round things out, there were several unbelievable moments that took me out of the story. Firstly, that Lorraine was assigned to be Chloe's mentor. Even if probability was on her side, it was a bit too perfect that Chloe was paired with her desired mentor. A more believable scenario would've been having the participants, upon acceptance to the finals, submitting their first and second choices for their desired mentors and THEN being paired up. Secondly, Peter sending the clip to Lorraine and having Chloe's speech broadcast like that? It was a real Rom Com moment, and not really in a cute way, more in a "neatly wrapped bow of convenience" way that kind of disappointed me; it's not that I wanted Chloe to lose, I just wanted... her to grow from the experience? Maybe come in second? Or be disqualified for not attending? I don't know, something to make it a bittersweet ending alongside the wholesome resolution with the mall.
SO, with all that said... I feel like I read this a bit too seriously. I know it's supposed to be fun—which it was! some of the time—and that things are convenient for a reason, I just... I dunno. Wanted something with a bit more oomph. I enjoyed the reading experience and I will definitely be picking up more Suzanne Park, but I'm was not 100% sold on this story.
An acceptable 3 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
In theory, this book ticked so many boxes for me: Christmas themed, enemies to lovers, Asian American rep and the generational experience, etc... But in the end, I didn't love it.
The "two opposing families" setup was good. Both both Chloe and Peter were easy to like. But the "enemies to lovers" trope fell so flat; in reality, they traded a few barbs here and there—not even particularly nasty ones, the kind you might be proud of in middle school—which then felt wholly unbelievable and forced due to the fact that prior to the start of the book, they have a dinner swap going, where they trade menu items from their families' restaurants. If you really hated someone, whether in actuality or simply on principle, you wouldn't do them a favor as big as sneaking out leftovers.
Also, the main characters and their friends all read very immaturely. Supposedly Chloe, Peter, and Co. are in high school, but to me, they read very juvenile. And the friendships very flat; only Elias was really fleshed out. And to round things out, there were several unbelievable moments that took me out of the story. Firstly, that Lorraine was assigned to be Chloe's mentor. Even if probability was on her side, it was a bit too perfect that Chloe was paired with her desired mentor. A more believable scenario would've been having the participants, upon acceptance to the finals, submitting their first and second choices for their desired mentors and THEN being paired up. Secondly, Peter sending the clip to Lorraine and having Chloe's speech broadcast like that? It was a real Rom Com moment, and not really in a cute way, more in a "neatly wrapped bow of convenience" way that kind of disappointed me; it's not that I wanted Chloe to lose, I just wanted... her to grow from the experience? Maybe come in second? Or be disqualified for not attending? I don't know, something to make it a bittersweet ending alongside the wholesome resolution with the mall.
SO, with all that said... I feel like I read this a bit too seriously. I know it's supposed to be fun—which it was! some of the time—and that things are convenient for a reason, I just... I dunno. Wanted something with a bit more oomph. I enjoyed the reading experience and I will definitely be picking up more Suzanne Park, but I'm was not 100% sold on this story.
An acceptable 3 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
this has definitely been my least favorite in the series so far.
while I thoroughly enjoyed the mornaday and butterworth arc & stayed interested in eddy, the whole thing fell sort of... flat(?) for me. probably because I had been hoping that V&S would take on Jack the Ripper instead of his terror being wrought in the background of the story. actually, now that I think about it, I'm kind of devastated lol. especially since they have such a close connection to Scotland Yard. I'm going to wallow in my disappointment haha.
3 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
while I thoroughly enjoyed the mornaday and butterworth arc & stayed interested in eddy, the whole thing fell sort of... flat(?) for me. probably because I had been hoping that V&S would take on Jack the Ripper instead of his terror being wrought in the background of the story. actually, now that I think about it, I'm kind of devastated lol. especially since they have such a close connection to Scotland Yard. I'm going to wallow in my disappointment haha.
3 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
phew.
for a second there I thought we were getting an adult Escaping from Houdini type scenario and I. was. pissed. Literally, for the first couple chapters I was damning Veronica and Tiberius to hell lol. but on the other side now, I love how everything unfurled, and my craving for blatant romance has been for now satiated. I'm starting to realize that I truly love isolated settings; while the plot drove me crazy in EFH, the boat made everything so much more intimate and worrisome. The island definitely provided a similar atmosphere, which I thoroughly enjoyed! And while his flagrant flirting irritated the hell out of me, it was fascinating to see just how much Tiberius and Stoker resemble each other--two peas in a pod, indeed.
Yes, the ending was pretty predictable and neatly wrapped up, and it was cruel to tease the Whitechapel murders in this volume only to leave them to the next!! but I still had a great time.
3.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
for a second there I thought we were getting an adult Escaping from Houdini type scenario and I. was. pissed. Literally, for the first couple chapters I was damning Veronica and Tiberius to hell lol. but on the other side now, I love how everything unfurled, and my craving for blatant romance has been for now satiated. I'm starting to realize that I truly love isolated settings; while the plot drove me crazy in EFH, the boat made everything so much more intimate and worrisome. The island definitely provided a similar atmosphere, which I thoroughly enjoyed! And while his flagrant flirting irritated the hell out of me, it was fascinating to see just how much Tiberius and Stoker resemble each other--two peas in a pod, indeed.
Yes, the ending was pretty predictable and neatly wrapped up, and it was cruel to tease the Whitechapel murders in this volume only to leave them to the next!! but I still had a great time.
3.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I swear, this series is turning me into a romantic of the most ashamed kind—at least, where Veronica Speedwell is involved; I legitimately swooned at that last gesture, squealed like a girl. The UST between these two is just it, jesus.
In other news, I'm so glad Caroline turned out as she did. I was inclined to hate her, and well...? Also, the friendships with Sir Hugo and Tiberius are shaping up to be quite enjoyable! Once again, I cannot wait what mischief awaits Veronica and Stoker at the expense of Scotland Yard lol.
3.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
In other news, I'm so glad Caroline turned out as she did. I was inclined to hate her, and well...? Also, the friendships with Sir Hugo and Tiberius are shaping up to be quite enjoyable! Once again, I cannot wait what mischief awaits Veronica and Stoker at the expense of Scotland Yard lol.
3.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
y'all this is the vibe I wanted from the first book. it truly did feel like a scaled up, adult version of a SJTR novel and I am. so. here. for. it.
was the reveal predictable? yes.
was the UST so ever present with no end in sight? sadly yes.
did the addition of murder impact my overall enjoyment and opinion of this installment? um, YEAH.
for all it's cliches, the hit the right spot, and honestly, I don't know if I'll survive the 12-week wait from my library to listen to the next one. I am GONE for these two.
4.25 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
was the reveal predictable? yes.
was the UST so ever present with no end in sight? sadly yes.
did the addition of murder impact my overall enjoyment and opinion of this installment? um, YEAH.
for all it's cliches, the hit the right spot, and honestly, I don't know if I'll survive the 12-week wait from my library to listen to the next one. I am GONE for these two.
4.25 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This was a cracking first book in what I imagine will become a favorite series.
In fact, within a few chapters I found myself thinking, "Ah, this is who Audrey Rose aspires to be..." That said, the similarities are little, in both story and character, and unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as SJTR. I think it's due somewhat to the fantastical nature of the plot. While our protagonists were as "scientific" as Audrey Rose and Thomas, and I would like to praise the maturity which they both read—that is, as adults and not highly intelligent teens, the overall plot arc was so belief-suspending and dramatic for drama's sake that I just... I don't know. I didn't fall head over heels for it.
I will absolutely be reading (okay, listening) on, and chances are I will thoroughly enjoy it, so I'm giving this book a respectable 4.25 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
In fact, within a few chapters I found myself thinking, "Ah, this is who Audrey Rose aspires to be..." That said, the similarities are little, in both story and character, and unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as SJTR. I think it's due somewhat to the fantastical nature of the plot. While our protagonists were as "scientific" as Audrey Rose and Thomas, and I would like to praise the maturity which they both read—that is, as adults and not highly intelligent teens, the overall plot arc was so belief-suspending and dramatic for drama's sake that I just... I don't know. I didn't fall head over heels for it.
I will absolutely be reading (okay, listening) on, and chances are I will thoroughly enjoy it, so I'm giving this book a respectable 4.25 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
Yagi the Bookshop Goat by Fumi Furukawa
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A huge thank you to Tokyopop and Netgalley for the ARC.
Goodness, I really loved this story! Setting in particular had me hooked right from the start. While I'm familiar with a variety of hybrid tropes, the concept of an herbivore/carnivore delineation is something I've never seen before and it provided for a really adorable dynamic between Yagi and Ookami. And I've never read anything with a goat hybrid before! Such a unique, but inspired choice haha. The idea of a goat fighting "the seduction of paper" to be a bookseller... What an innocent and inherently hilarious premise.
I'm glad that the entire volume focused on them and their relationship. The background regarding their past was so sweet, and Ookami's transition from passive friend to loving partner felt really genuine; as a result, I also didn't really mind the smut sections. Sometimes, in cozy mangas like this, they feel out of place and a bit much for me, but because I felt connected to their love for each other, not just attraction, it felt warranted here. I also enjoyed all of the side characters and the momentum/energy they brought to the story. I love a good "found family"!
Overall, I highly recommend 💚
5 out of 5 stars, ★★★★★
Goodness, I really loved this story! Setting in particular had me hooked right from the start. While I'm familiar with a variety of hybrid tropes, the concept of an herbivore/carnivore delineation is something I've never seen before and it provided for a really adorable dynamic between Yagi and Ookami. And I've never read anything with a goat hybrid before! Such a unique, but inspired choice haha. The idea of a goat fighting "the seduction of paper" to be a bookseller... What an innocent and inherently hilarious premise.
I'm glad that the entire volume focused on them and their relationship. The background regarding their past was so sweet, and Ookami's transition from passive friend to loving partner felt really genuine; as a result, I also didn't really mind the smut sections. Sometimes, in cozy mangas like this, they feel out of place and a bit much for me, but because I felt connected to their love for each other, not just attraction, it felt warranted here. I also enjoyed all of the side characters and the momentum/energy they brought to the story. I love a good "found family"!
Overall, I highly recommend 💚
5 out of 5 stars, ★★★★★
Urban Rose by Helle Gade
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Butterdragons Publishing for the ARC opportunity.
The things I loved about this poetry collection:
1. The portrayal and personifications of chronic illness and disability. Many of them resonated with me on a personal level, and I think that someone blessedly unfamiliar with these experiences would find it a helpful and eye-opening reading experience.
2. The cosmic and natural metaphors. In particular, I really enjoyed the employment of the stars and frost as emotional and physical sensations and/or manifestations.
3. The very visceral emotions the author has shared. Even in what I assume is a translation (the author is Danish), the emotions of anger and angst in particular really came through.
Things I didn't love:
1. The lack of punctuation. I can usually deal with this, but for some reason, the lack of punctuation really hindered the experience of the poems for me; I sometimes struggled to follow where one thought ended and another began.
2. The plethora of spelling mistakes. Unfortunately, these errors were numerous and definitely took me out of the emotional experience of the poems in which they appeared.
3. This could be a translation issue, but some of the word choices seemed very... dramatic? Almost theatrical, at times? I found when the author was talking about themself and their pain experiences, this wasn't an issue; it more so applied to the general works addressing society and nature and such.
Overall, I did enjoy this collection, but I'm not sure I would recommend unless someone was in need of disability rep; in that case, I think this collection is particularly strong, so I would.
The things I loved about this poetry collection:
1. The portrayal and personifications of chronic illness and disability. Many of them resonated with me on a personal level, and I think that someone blessedly unfamiliar with these experiences would find it a helpful and eye-opening reading experience.
2. The cosmic and natural metaphors. In particular, I really enjoyed the employment of the stars and frost as emotional and physical sensations and/or manifestations.
3. The very visceral emotions the author has shared. Even in what I assume is a translation (the author is Danish), the emotions of anger and angst in particular really came through.
Things I didn't love:
1. The lack of punctuation. I can usually deal with this, but for some reason, the lack of punctuation really hindered the experience of the poems for me; I sometimes struggled to follow where one thought ended and another began.
2. The plethora of spelling mistakes. Unfortunately, these errors were numerous and definitely took me out of the emotional experience of the poems in which they appeared.
3. This could be a translation issue, but some of the word choices seemed very... dramatic? Almost theatrical, at times? I found when the author was talking about themself and their pain experiences, this wasn't an issue; it more so applied to the general works addressing society and nature and such.
Overall, I did enjoy this collection, but I'm not sure I would recommend unless someone was in need of disability rep; in that case, I think this collection is particularly strong, so I would.
Himawari House by Harmony Becker
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Honestly, I'm glad I didn't buy this graphic novel b/c while it was cute, it didn't leave me feeling nostalgic or festive, and I didn't vibe with the romance. I definitely wanted Deja and Josiah to stay platonic BFFs... I thought their friendship was lovely and such good male/female friendship rep! but then it went romantic... I just wasn't connected to that in the end. The illustrations were nice too, but I don't know, it felt like something was missing.