laurlala's reviews
65 reviews

Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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? No

3.0

Not my favorite Hiaasen. It dragged a bit for me (at one point I felt like, “we GET IT they’re racist”) but overall I like his writing style and the weaving of comedic absurdity with a true love for Florida’s ecology.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism

Minor: Rape

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

dark emotional sad fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

World building was so delicious, I liked the characters and enjoyed the slow burn reveals of their backgrounds.

The plot was pretty stop-start at times but it was an enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Blood

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

Fellside by M.R. Carey

dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.0

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-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

3.75

A Caress of Twilight by Laurell K. Hamilton

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-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

4.5

A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

adventurous mysterious fast-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

The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

I almost gave up on this in the middle but am glad I didn’t. I started to feel some struggle fatigue and wasn’t sure if I could take more things going wrong/ situations that arose solely because people couldn’t communicate properly. 

I did really appreciate the epilogue tying things together nicely though!