leighlikestoread's reviews
86 reviews

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

emotional 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

4.75

I LOVED this book! The character development of Dante and Alessa is amazing, and the touching notes of friendship is really lovely. I love the idea of partnership on so many different levels including that in power. 
I read this one in one sitting on the plane and cried and honestly cried on 5 different occasions! It’s so heartfelt and emotional and has surprisingly stuck with me. This isn’t quite a 5 star rating as I felt the quality of the writing could be a little better. But I loved it nonetheless!

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

This book was recommended to me by a friend as she loved the book as a teenager and it was definitely a fun and lighthearted read. It really gave YA vibes to me and did take quite a while for me to get into it and for the plot to have some substance but by the halfway point I was really enjoying it! The premise is an interesting one to explore and has definitely been executed in a really digestible way. The writing isn’t fantastic and I only tabbed about 2 pieces which is a very small amount for me. The twist at the ending was very unexpected and was something I really enjoyed and upped the rating slightly! This is a series however that I’m not sure I will continue. 

Golden Son by Pierce Brown
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.

Despite loving Red Rising and the pace of the book, the beginning of the next book has just not gripped me at all and I can’t bring myself to pick the book back up to continue reading. I would love to try to read it again at some point as the premise of the series itself is one I really like the sounds of. 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

I will always love this book and will get anyone I come across to read it. It will very easily become a modern classic… the beautifully written story has it all; love, adventure, sadness, reflection, fighting prejudice, and more. The story of Kya is one that I adore and will always hold close to my heart and that makes me cry buckets every time. Delia Owens is able to write so much emotion into her words… and you can so clearly picture every single plot point. 
My love for the characters Tate & Jumpin’ are unmeasurable, they are the sweetest, kindest and most heartfelt male characters I have come across and ghat I would love to be real. 
In summary, you have to read this book!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Racism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual assault

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would when I started. It is coated in sadness and mind-fuckery but ends up being a beautifully sad story about loss, family, and true love. The way that everything is unravelled towards the end is superbly written and honestly makes you feel as confused as AnnaLeigh and is quite stressful to get through!

However, you can bet I was absolutely bawling by the end of it (from sadness) and then again at the end of the epilogue (with happiness!) 

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

I am really enjoying continuing with the Rivers of London series as they are humorous and easy to read. You could argue that the writing isn’t fantastic but it’s not painful and adds to the fact that they are so easy to read. 
I never really know what to say about these books after finishing them which is why it has a very middle rating, they are good whilst reading them but they don’t keep a hold on you in any way. I will be continuing the series for sure and hope the one of the later ones maybe grips me a bit more. 
The sex scenes in this were also very strange to read as these are my Dad’s books and recommended to me as well as Peter Grant also seeming like such a menial kind of guy so him having sex is off. 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

adventurous 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

3.25

This is one of my favourites of the Harry Potter series; the Golden Trio have grown as characters but are still lovingly naive. I also really like how Voldemort isn’t the main plot point of the book (and I adore Sirius as a character). 
You can see how J K Rowling’s writing has grown compared to the first 2 books and events are starting to be allowed some of the time they need but are still slightly rushed. The world she has created is also starting to develop more which is enjoyable to immerse myself back into. You also get a lovely little insight into the marauder era which I adore.
It is also very interesting to notice when re-reading this just how much the movie actually deviates from the book towards the end. 

The Curse of the Seelie King by Chloe Everhart

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

3.5

This was my first ever ARC that I have been given the chance to read which is so exciting! I really enjoyed this book and very much gave ACOTAR vibes to it. The romance between Roselyn and Declan is beautifully written and the tenseness of their romance in the beginning makes their relationship grow really nicely. There is a great twist near the end that make the plot a lot more exciting.. but all in all this is very much a romance book. It is good for a lighthearted quick read with romance and fantasy but doesn’t hold a great amount of depth to the plot.  

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This one took me a little while to read as I got sidetracked starting a reading journal and filling it in for my books this year. I however love this book, I had listened to the audiobook before but wanted to give it another read.  The tenseness, and isolation of the island is very well written. You have no idea who dies until two thirds of the way through the book, and who did it isn’t apparent until the very end of the book. The location that this is set also makes is all the more spooky, it is incredibly written. This is such a good whodunnit murder mystery that is tense whilst being really easy to read. 

Beneath This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.25