leannj's reviews
2176 reviews

That Time I Got Drunk And Yeeted A Love Potion At A Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming

adventurous funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

I liked this one even better than the first book! I feel like the author balanced having elements of what makes the fated mates trope so enticing to true fans of the trope while also subverting certain aspects of the trope to make it appeal to those who may be more skeptical (like me). Specifically, I loved that that Felix wasn't the stereotypical love interest and could even be a bit dorky at times. Even though there isn't an epic quest/journey in this installment like their is in the first book, I was still really invested in the plot and character development.

How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.

Kapaemahu by Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.5

Beautifully narrated, and the sound design was a wonderful touch.

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This book gets really close to if not being the epitome of a "feel good" read. Fluffy, comforting, borderline cosy, without too much whitewashing the realities of the time period.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

This is my most successful attempt at reading a book by this author yet, but I can understand why others might not like it. The story for this first book is mostly set up; the plot puts the slow in slow burn and it feels like all the action-packed moment are crammed in the last 15% of the book. However, I really found the way Ancient Greek myths were incorporated into worldbuilding to be really  unique refreshing compared to other "Greek mythology inspired" books I've read. I'm definitely intrigued enough to see where the story is going in the sequel.

Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.

Keep Me Close by R.M. Virtues

slow-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

3.0

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

At first I was flying through the book and having fun, but somewhere around the 75%-85% mark I realized I was ready for the story to wrap up. There was just something a little off that stopped me from truly enjoying the reading experience.

Charming Young Man by Eliot Schrefer

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.0

I think this book solidified that I don't like historical fiction books that are so directly about a real person from history. I prefer fictional characters in a historical setting- that prevents the story from feeling too confined to the bounds of what actually happened historically. I'll just read nonfiction if I want to know more about a real historical figure. 

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This is gothic horror masquerading as a historical fantasy with fae- and it definitely puts the "horror" in gothic horror. Definitely disturbing at certain points but also fascinating. I thought it was really interesting how the author interwove theology into the story and worldbuilding, and how it showcased the hypocrisy of the main characters. Recommend looking into the trigger warnings so your not caught off guard by certain ~reveals~ in the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest