Scan barcode
lifeonasofa's reviews
229 reviews
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
“That's the kind of person you can get away with killing: someone everybody else wants dead” Karen M McManus 💀
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Stars
I can see why this book is so loved. It’s a lot of fun. Teens will love this book, it’s very Breakfast Club. Really well written and a nice range of characters ✍🏻
I loved the mystery, the first half was really intriguing. But I did feel like I lost interest and wasn’t surprised by the twists. 😮
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
“That's the kind of person you can get away with killing: someone everybody else wants dead” Karen M McManus 💀
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Stars
I can see why this book is so loved. It’s a lot of fun. Teens will love this book, it’s very Breakfast Club. Really well written and a nice range of characters ✍🏻
I loved the mystery, the first half was really intriguing. But I did feel like I lost interest and wasn’t surprised by the twists. 😮
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Outing, and Toxic friendship
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.5
You and Me of Vacation ☀️
“Because, really, it’s less about the places we go than the people we meet along the way. But most of all, it’s about the ones who stay, who become home” Emily Henry 🩵
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Stars
Emily Henry books are my happy place. They just have me feeling so relaxed. They really are the perfect summer read. 🏖️
Beach Read is still my favourite so far but Emily Henry did a great job creating endearing characters and slow burn romance on the pages of this book. I LOVE a slow burn - recommend if you like friends to lovers 🔥
I think the pacing was a little off here and there, maybe just too long? And the miscommunication got a bit much for me - they’re supposed to be best friends after all! But cute! Glad I read it 🥰
“Because, really, it’s less about the places we go than the people we meet along the way. But most of all, it’s about the ones who stay, who become home” Emily Henry 🩵
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Stars
Emily Henry books are my happy place. They just have me feeling so relaxed. They really are the perfect summer read. 🏖️
Beach Read is still my favourite so far but Emily Henry did a great job creating endearing characters and slow burn romance on the pages of this book. I LOVE a slow burn - recommend if you like friends to lovers 🔥
I think the pacing was a little off here and there, maybe just too long? And the miscommunication got a bit much for me - they’re supposed to be best friends after all! But cute! Glad I read it 🥰
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I don’t have words to explain how beautiful this book is. So let Fredrik Backman do it in 90 pages.
The Faint of Heart by Kerilynn Wilson
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I LOVED the concept of this graphic novel. A world where hearts can be numbed so you can no longer feel sadness, anger or anxiety. But sadly resulting in the loss of happy emotions too. June is the only person left with a heart. 💔
The illustration style was so perfect for this story. So moody and raw. Quite simplistic which added to that feeling of loneliness. ✍🏻
Overall, a good message for young readers. I would’ve liked a bit more complexity. The story seemed to wrap up pretty quickly. 📖
The illustration style was so perfect for this story. So moody and raw. Quite simplistic which added to that feeling of loneliness. ✍🏻
Overall, a good message for young readers. I would’ve liked a bit more complexity. The story seemed to wrap up pretty quickly. 📖
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
adventurous
dark
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
3.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars
Why did I enjoy this book? 😅
✨ Spoilers ✨
I mean there were things I didn’t enjoy. I’d recommend skipping THAT scene right at the start (it destroys the tone of the book - checks TWs). There’s insta love, a pregnancy trope and it’s all around a bit weird. 🤔
But, I couldn’t help but speed read this in a day. It was quite refreshing after some pretty heavy chunky reads. I’ve never read anything like it. Turns out alien smut isn’t a total no - who knew? 🤷🏻♀️
Also shout out to the illustrator of these covers - absolutely stunning 🏔️
Why did I enjoy this book? 😅
✨ Spoilers ✨
I mean there were things I didn’t enjoy. I’d recommend skipping THAT scene right at the start (it destroys the tone of the book - checks TWs). There’s insta love, a pregnancy trope and it’s all around a bit weird. 🤔
But, I couldn’t help but speed read this in a day. It was quite refreshing after some pretty heavy chunky reads. I’ve never read anything like it. Turns out alien smut isn’t a total no - who knew? 🤷🏻♀️
Also shout out to the illustrator of these covers - absolutely stunning 🏔️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Excrement, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
4.25 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Worth the hype. I really didn’t think a YA thriller would be my cup of tea any more. But I just loved this 😍
The perfect a balance of mystery and thriller, I never felt bored, the story kept moving forwards. 🏃🏻♀️
I loved the notebook, email and cut out sections, I kind of wish there was a bit more of that, it added to the detective vibes 🕵🏻♀️
I think the characters were written perfectly for the target audience too, they were super likeable and believable. 🥰
Worth the hype. I really didn’t think a YA thriller would be my cup of tea any more. But I just loved this 😍
The perfect a balance of mystery and thriller, I never felt bored, the story kept moving forwards. 🏃🏻♀️
I loved the notebook, email and cut out sections, I kind of wish there was a bit more of that, it added to the detective vibes 🕵🏻♀️
I think the characters were written perfectly for the target audience too, they were super likeable and believable. 🥰
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Bunny by Mona Awad
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
2.25
Legendborn ⚡️ Review
“Don't make your life about the loss. Make it about the love” - Tracy Deonn 💕
⭐️⭐️💫 2.25 Stars
I so badly wanted to love this book. It’s taken me over a month to accept that it’s ok not to love a hyped book…but the fact it took me 8 months to finish, says a lot 😬
Before I go on, I absolutely can see why it’s so well loved. The second half was vastly better than the first. I absolutely loved Bree and the representation, the culture she bought into the fantasy genre was GREAT! Her grief flooded from the pages so some skilled character writing! 🦹🏾♀️
Though the romance vibe was a little too ‘love at first sight’ for me at the start between Bree and sunshine boy Nick, I did like how it wasn’t the main focus. The intrigue surrounding Bree and Sel was there, he played the same mysterious fellow pretty well. 🥰
Like I said, the first half was SO slow, genuinely…nothing happened? Whilst the plot was a lot better later on, it just felt like the pacing for a 600 page book was completely off. 😬
Bree spends 90% of the time acting like Wonder Woman, somehow a natural in this Arthurian magic world she’s never heard of. It’s almost jolting on the rare occasions we go back to her dorm on campus.
It’s a shame because ‘normal’ teen Bree was my favourite…she’s supposed to be a vulnerable 16 year old?! I wish we’d got more of her in that school/home environment, it would’ve balanced out the story. 🏫
There was a lot of terminology and info that didn’t land with me, even by the end. Could be because I wasn’t into it, but for a YA, I think world building and magic systems need to be understood by the end of a book. 🤷🏻♀️
Overall, I’m super sad I didn’t enjoy it, I won’t be putting myself through Bloodmarked 📚
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir by Dolly Alderton
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Fence, Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat
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? No
5.0
Fence 3 🤺 Review
“I don’t need a makeover. I have amazing fashion sense.”
“Wearing black jeans and a black tank top all the time?”
“I wear other things!”
“Like what?”
“Sometimes I wear a black t-shirt” - C S Pacat
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
I’ve really enjoyed the premise and the STUNNING illustrations throughout this series. But this is HANDS DOWN my favourite volume! 😍
The plot really picked up, I found myself fully immersed and can’t wait to see where the series goes. The characters really came into their own, and I love their relationships with each other. 💥
Please tell me this is also a#the slowest burn romance ever cuz Seiji was giving VIBESSSS! 👀
“I don’t need a makeover. I have amazing fashion sense.”
“Wearing black jeans and a black tank top all the time?”
“I wear other things!”
“Like what?”
“Sometimes I wear a black t-shirt” - C S Pacat
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars
I’ve really enjoyed the premise and the STUNNING illustrations throughout this series. But this is HANDS DOWN my favourite volume! 😍
The plot really picked up, I found myself fully immersed and can’t wait to see where the series goes. The characters really came into their own, and I love their relationships with each other. 💥
Please tell me this is also a#the slowest burn romance ever cuz Seiji was giving VIBESSSS! 👀