lauren_miller's reviews
761 reviews

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.25

I’ll be sending an invoice for all the tissues to one Park Jisung 😭

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

adventurous 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

4.75

honestly, I didn't think anything would top Things You Save in a Fire, but you know, I was pleasantly surprised!!

I adore Hannah. Having grown up as one of the only girls in my karate class, I am such a sucker for the "looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you" aesthetic. And the way she flips Jack within 0.5 seconds of meeting? Iconic. Emotional unavailability aside, she is pretty much my dream contemporary romance heroine.

And I guess Jack was good, too 😂

What shocked me the most is that I was so into Hannah's internal narration style that I didn't even care how hot Jack is supposed to be. Like, it's mentioned over and over how handsome and swoon-worthy his, and normally, after the first couple instances, I would start getting irritated. But Jack Stapleton is an effing adorable, well-adjusted, kind-hearted, decent person and I knew immediately—by no influence of his shirtlessness and Levi's—that I was a goner. Is he my new book boyfriend?? Probably. How can you not fall in love w/ a man that will lie to your face like the world-class actor he is to save your literal life?? Idk.

And even though he's a dipshit, I thought the whole Robbie situation was handled really well; Hannah's emotional arc from girlfriend to ex-girlfriend to colleagues was actually so good. While I'm saddened by the lack of female friendships, I'm glad Hannah didn't forgive Taylor right away, especially that comment about them being work friends and not best friends—I was ready to throw hands. I feel like there was an opportunity for Hannah and Kelly to bond over Jack, but they barely interacted at all 🤔 And I really wish we could've gotten more interactions w/ Hannah and Connie & Doc. Those few scenes were really precious, especially Hannah saying goodbye, and it would've been so funny to see some foreshadowing about Connie recognizing they're literally made for each other.

All that to say...

This is my new favorite contemporary romance and shall be my entire personality for the forseeable future. Big 4.75 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

beautiful art, but really predictable plot with a kinda lame resolution and insta-love

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

seriously, there is nothing quite like the jovial, cheeky, and altogether magical atmosphere of an India Holton book!

magic birds, marketing ploys, the tease of tenure, and enough affection to melt even the grinch's heart... this was such a fun, cozy romp 😍 🎉 Beth and Devon were so sweet; their banter and rapport were so addictive and precious, I couldn't help but root for them. I really loved the fact that they were forced together so early in the story and that we got to see them work together, escaping harrowing situations and taking full advantage of "rooms of beds," throwing propriety out the window in the name of true love. I also enjoyed the absolutely ridiculous nature of the side characters (dear god, let me never cross paths with anyone remotely similar to Hippolyta) and the myriad of magical birds our heroes had to endure. Good on the British tourism board for coming up with such an outrageous scheme to raise enrollment lol; if it were me, I would've seriously considered a career switch...

while I didn't love the ending (there is such a thing as too happy an ending), I'm glad for the caladrius and thankful our couple can now stop living in sin 🤣🤣

solid 4 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom

lighthearted 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? Yes

3.0

 this was fun, but kind of a slog to get through. Delia skirted the edge between charming and irritating, Max was nice but I don't have much more to say, the grandmothers were effing ridiculous and felt like both old ladies and literal children, Luke was a good counter to his brother but felt kinda one dimensional, Amy came off almost too abrasive, and Nicky? Literally the best part, whom we barely saw lol. this audiobook could've been at least 2 hours shorter and I would've been happy.

The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-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

this is very historical fiction forward, followed by religion heavy, and finally minutely magical. yes, magic is central to the plot, but no, the story itself is more about the plague and the religious relics that, supposedly capable of healing those afflicted by and warding off the black plague, are slowly being stolen out of Florence's churches. the use of flashbacks was nice, but they continued through till nearly 50%, at which point the real story actually started (i.e., trying to figure out the thief's identity); as a result, the pacing felt really slow. also, there were a few convenient happenings that, no, not even magic could make up for. I did enjoy the author's note at the end regarding all the research that went into the book; I do very much appreciate her efforts! Overall, I did enjoy my listening experience and while I tend to avoid historical fiction, I'm glad this one slipped through the cracks. it was a nice palate cleanser.

3.75 out of 5, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

3.75

quintessential girl drama, but make it festive 🎉

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted 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

3.75

I loved the first third with my whole heart.  It was autumnal and magical and sweet and I LOVE a good isolated setting (in this case, the wedding venue). Then came the sex. So. Much. Sex. I'm all for physical attraction and a good explicit jaunt, sure, but there were at least three or four too many for me. I know the whole point is that they're basically soulmates and drawn to each other and all that, but after a few, I started fastforwarding as quickly as possible to get back to actual plot. Speaking of which... I definitely saw the conflict's true nature coming, and the "treatment" and subsequent resolution were nice but nothing really special? Idk. I did like Scott and Dina as a pair. I liked their chemistry. I just... am left feeling a little underwhelmed. This is a great witchy fall read if you're looking for something fun and fast, smutty, angsty, and perfectly happy by the end.

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-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

5.0

 the stereotype used to be that demons are indifferent and cruel while angels are loving and compassionate; in recent years, popular media has definitely tried to subvert such expectations, and this one is no different; it subverts expectations spectacularly—centered around an emotionally charged and driven demon that nurtures her home city for centuries, watching empires rise and fall, burying the dead, filling the emptiness with tantrums and tears and heart-wrenching longing, only to begrudgingly accept the next wave of feeble humanity that takes root, like a child picking out her favorites and giving them her best, heedless (willfully ignorant?) of the disappointment that mortality brings, only to start the cycle all over again...

hypocrisy abounds, that's for sure. a demon who loves her city best, so empowered by both the memories of what her city was and also the inner vision of what her city will become that she hates fate, hates change beyond her control, wallows in the perceived perfection of the past and what—who—she has lost while childishly lashing out at who and what it is.

all the while under the watchful eye of a creature so heavenly that he stays with her despite everything. a creature so tainted by the sliver of her that his love, while holy in its strength, is so deep in its devotion that it is nearly human—such an antithesis of sanctity that you could argue it is nearly demonic...

this book spans centuries and yet is about nothing and everything. the pains of humanity mixed with the eccentricity of immortality; so pointless and powerful and pensive, and so wonderful and awful, so very soulful. stunningly written. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Violence, Grief

Minor: War

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

 I think I've learned my lesson: anything Margaret Rogerson writes will become a new favorite. I really adored this one.

The turns of phrase, the faerie lore, the craft, the intimacy, the green well... All of it spoke to my little dragon heart; I tried to hoard the minutes, but I was so desperate to know more I listened to it as fast as I could... The only thing I'm still not sold on is the final conflict's resolution, but I did like the resulting twist, so that has left a slightly more positive taste in my mouth. Overall, if you need a cozy, whimsical little faerie stint, this will get the job done!

4.75 out of 5 stars, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐